Ashes
by ClankTheWailingBird
Summary: He was pretty sure that it was hate that drove him to do what he did best. Well, at least at first. At the beginning of the 74th Hunger Games, Cato feels like he understands himself rather well-or at least as well as was ever necessary. But this changes when he meets HER. Suddenly, the killings aren't for glory-they are to get his dearest love out of the arena alive. Cato/OC
1. Chapter 1: Uprooted

A/N: Although I've written quite a few different fanfiction stories, this is the first I've ever posted. Opinions are appreciated. =] If I get enough positive feedback, I'll keep posting. These updates may not be as timely as I'd like them to be, but I'll try my best. {At the moment I'm on my best friend's internet, lol}. Also-keep in mind that the rest of the story will have a lot more Cato in it...but we have to get that annoying full-of-intros first chapter out of the way first. x] And I know it's kinda short...future chapters will definetly be longer, and not just because they were/are funner to write. I just don't want to post a ton if nobody but me cares.

Disclaimer: I do not now, nor have I ever owned any part of the Hunger Games. I only wish, lol.

* * *

_Queasy._

That was the first thing she was sure she felt. Her stomach was churning, a great, faceless terror gripping her heart in its vicious claws.

Because she knew. She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that it would be her. She silently cursed the small fraction of her mother's premonition that she had inherited.

At the same time, she was grateful. Looking at the faces of several nervous girls clustered around her, she was glad that it was she, not them, that would be uprooted. None of them had done anything to deserve being chosen as tribute, and a slight smile crossed her lips at the thought.

The Reapings of District 10 had always been rather quick, rushed by the despair of knowing that neither tribute stood a chance against the savagery of the Careers. Her name was called, and though she'd known for far too long that this was how things would go, she felt her face stiffen before freezing into an unbelieving mask of panic. "Evania Gardell!" the sharp voice of the announcer, a visitor from the Capitol called again, somewhat testily.

Blinking a few times to banish the visions of what could be, she stepped forward. Each face she passed was full of sympathy. Her courage picked back up. These people couldn't deserve this terrible fate. By taking it herself, she spared them. She smiled again, drawing more than her fair share of incredulous stares. Her mind was numb, unable to focus on the rest of the event.

A boy, around her age but likely a few years younger, suddenly stood in front of her. His hand was held out, but it took her a minute to recall what was going on. She took this opportunity to let her gaze rake over him, and she recognized Paul, the kind boy who worked a few barns over, tending hogs. She recalled his disability, the one that caused his limp—a sure death sentence in the Games. He caught her eye and smiled slightly, to be reassuring—or so she assumed. She smiled back, all the while hoping to herself that their deaths were quick, dealt by the hand of someone with at least an ounce of mercy in them.

* * *

Her goodbyes were depressingly few. Not many bothered to come see her, except the manager of the barn she'd worked in for years. She still had school, on top of her job, where she might've made friends, but none showed up. That was okay; working in the barns was how she fed herself. Many kids, when faced with a situation like hers went hunting for their meals, but she didn't have the stomach for it. She loathed killing.

"I know you well enough to know that you're only going to win if everyone has at it, mortally wounding each other, and you don't have to kill anyone," the aging man had begun gruffly. "But please, try, at least, Evania? Try?"

She gazed at him for a moment—his weathered face, callused, wrinkled hands and receding hairline—after she recovered; she choked up a bit after seeing how sincere he was.

"I think I might," she finally said, unable to meet the fierce green eyes of the one person she could say genuinely cared about her. They clasped hands for a moment, before he was removed from the room.

That night, she watched a recap of the Reapings. After one look at the Careers, she realized it was crazy for her to even consider that she might have any chance in these Games.

She fell into a restless sleep, waking frequently from the nightmare that didn't quite stop when she opened her eyes.

* * *

"Alright!" she looked up to see Atala's face rigid, as she glared down at the ring of children temporarily under her supervision. Her eyes were practically a dare to act up. "Choose a station!"

She waited until the others had made their mad dashes to pick their first choice. Honestly, she wasn't sure she wanted a choice. She ended up sitting across from an elderly woman, who appeared as helpful as they come. Like a genuinely decent person. "How much do you know about plants, young woman?"

She resisted the urge to brush off a real answer with an easier "meh.", considering it carefully. "Well, I know quite a bit about medicinal herbs," she mumbled. "But as far as edible? My knowledge is slightly shakier. I just want a refresher before I end up in the arena."

The woman's eyes glinted knowingly. "I see we have a smart one, for once." She chose not to reply to that, not wanting to come off as egotistical. The next long while reassured her that she did indeed recall her plant knowledge, which was a good confidence boost.

She paused for a moment, letting her gaze linger on each of the other Tributes in turn.

One of them, a boy about twice her size, caught her, and she was shocked by the ice that dropped into her stomach as their eyes locked. He sneered, and she realized a moment later that it probably had something to do with the spear jutting from the chest of a dummy. She instinctively knew him to be the thrower. She turned, unable to keep it up any longer. Before she could be dispatched in much the same way as that dummy, she switched stations-or, rather, she was hiding behind one, trying to calm her racing pulse.


	2. Chapter 2: Fear

Finally getting to post again! =] Thanks to everyone that favorited, followed or reviewed. This chapter has more Cato than the last one, but not nearly as much as we'll see in future chapters. I know it's a little rushed, but I'm so eager to get past the beginning and on to the fun stuff. Still, I hope you all enjoy this.

* * *

The Cornucopia was huge, much larger than it appeared on TV.

She was lost, astounded by its magnificence, at least until the bitter reality that if she wanted to survive past just the first five minutes of the Games she'd have to run for her life—immediately—set in.

She could see the excitement on the faces of most of the Careers, a savage smile that she could not fathom wearing. The others looked lost, with few exceptions. She could see it plainly that they didn't want to be there. They realized that they stood no chance. Her heart ached for them, knowing that there would be little that could be done to help them. They paused for the remainder of the countdown, hearts thundering within their chests with fear and adrenaline.

Then they were released.

She took off running as hard as she could, heading straight for the cluster of trees she saw just far enough ahead to make her feel desperate. Perhaps if she could lose the others she could survive past the first night.

She could hear the awful sound of people dying, the agonized sobs and cries of those with no hope She could also hear the wicked laughter of those still standing. An image came to mind to accompany the horrible squelching and gurgling that met her ears; she might as well have turned around to see her peers being hacked apart. Blood bubbled in her mind's eye, gushing faster than her breath was coming.

She pushed herself harder at the thought, wanting to put as much distance as possible between herself and the certain carnage.

It seemed hours that she ran, breath rasping desperately through abused lungs and out a dry mouth. Her limbs felt as if they were disconnected from her body; they no longer had even a semblance of sensation running through them. She knew that if she stopped, she wouldn't be able to force herself to move again and that the aches would set in again in earnest.

Despite this, by nightfall she had dropped to her knees, gasping hopelessly for breath. Running had never been her strong suit...

The sound of someone stomping through the trail just to her left startled her, and she backed up slowly, curling in on herself amid a pile of leaves, hoping against hope that no one could hear her shaking as each tremor racked her body with pain. Those Careers had a nasty talent for flushing out unsuspecting Tributes with little to no effort.

Those same Careers soon marched into her view, disjointed as it was because of the flourishing shrubbery she'd been fortunate enough to be close to. Still, it did not afford her much protection from their aura of pure malice. The sounds of their casual conversation made her bristle, and not just because of the words; they seemed almost certain that they would catch someone, whether they crept up silently or not. It was offensive.

_Of course they'd be proud of themselves after something like that..._

But one of them stopped suddenly, cocking his head to the side, a predatory grin on his face. Her heart stopped when she realized that it was the boy from the training room that had captivated her before. She was dimly aware that the others were asking him what he'd heard, but there wasn't enough room in her brain to consider fearing the others. Then, making her stomach lurch sickeningly, he replied, "Someone's here."

The others glanced around a bit, and one of the boys chuckled good-naturedly. "Relax, Cato. We've got plenty of time to track down District Twelve."

_Cato?_ The name fit oddly well.

The teen grumbled something sullenly, but continued on with his companions.

A sigh of relief escaped her, even though it was plain from the frustrated glint in his eyes that he was unsatisfied with walking away.

* * *

She woke up the next morning, still burrowed in her hiding place. Every muscle in her body screamed protests at the slightest movement, and she couldn't help but groan aloud. But the pain had to be pushed aside; if she let it control her then she would be lost.

Hunger and thirst prevented her from remaining where she was, so she set out towards what appeared to be a greener part of the woods—and water. The burning thirst superseded even the hunger; it gripped her throat and tightened her mouth. Her lips felt like they were about to crack.

She found blessed moisture in a matter of a few hours, and couldn't stop herself from taking a few deep, greedy swallows though they hurt to have. Then she scanned the trees, hoping to catch sight of something edible. There was, to her great relief, a young apple tree not too far away. The fruits were small and tart, and it took three of them to satisfy the incessant growling in her stomach because of their lack of size.

She stuffed several more into the hood of her jacket, sorely wishing that she had at least a few of the simpler spoils from the Cornucopia.

She could feel the fire. It was blazing towards her, and she couldn't help but panic knowing she was being sadly outrun by both her fellow Tributes and the heat raging at her back.

The forest glowed with the dancing flames, brightening before giving way to a sizzling, flaming mess. Tree after tree fell to it, collapsing in a grand fashion and thereby condemning several of their peers.

The ground seemed to waver in her vision, which she eventually realized was the doing of the heat. She tried to keep a steady view on something—anything—but nothing seemed to want to remain still.

A sudden glint on the ground caught her eye in this haze. Snatching it as she passed, she stuffed it into her hood for further analysis at a later time.

* * *

Eventually she found herself safe, lying on cool, damp earth at least a few miles from the origin of the blaze. She was glad, realizing that Katniss Everdeen must've drawn the attention of the Gamemakers before guilt flushed her cheeks. _What a rotten thing to think...even if it's true._

She reached back into her hood to take an apple even though her smoke-clogged lungs made her sick enough that she didn't want to even think of food, but a distinctive metallic clink distracted her. Recalling the glint on the ground she fished it out, eying it carefully.

All it was was a plain gold chain, obviously the token of one of the male Tributes. It went straight into her pocket; perhaps it would come in handly later.


	3. Chapter 3: An Encounter

Well, this is the second chapter in the same day. =] This is a very Cato-centric chapter, and I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think...

* * *

She felt his presence before she saw him. He was clearly upset, muttering to himself agitatedly, scanning the ground frantically as he retraced the path she'd taken to escape the inferno.

In the first light of sunrise, he looked amazing. His body was flawless, his movements so fluid... —_no._ She couldn't think that way. Not right now. Despite this distraction, it didn't take her long to realize who the necklace belonged to.

At first, she was reluctant to give it back; she had seen the ease with which he slaughtered those poor children, most of which were younger than him. Not only had it been easy for him, he had enjoyed it...he took a sick kind of pride in being able to do what he did.

But a particular mutter broke her heart—this had belonged to his now-dead father. She bit her lip, unsure of what to do, at least until she realized that he was completely alone.

_So even if he kills me he wouldn't have anyone to show off for. He'd make it quicker. That in itself would be a blessing..._

A startlingly loud twig snapped under her boot and she cursed, flinching as he turned, already readying his sword. She hadn't meant to do that...now her whole plan was jeopardized.

Before either of them could move, before either of them could even think, she'd flung the chain at his feet, and she was running.

He cursed almost as colorfully as she had, hesitating a moment to pick up the token. Then he was after her.

Her heart was pounding in her ears like a bass drum. Panic overtook her mind, and she kept up a speed she hadn't known herself capable of for much longer than she could have ever imagined...this put even her previous escapes in the Games to shame. This time, the purest fear she'd ever felt held her stomach in its grip, and she was pulled along by it.

But eventually he caught her, as they both knew he must. Everything in the world stopped in that moment as he slammed her to the ground, knocking the air entirely from her lungs as dirt bit into her from the impact. His eyes were beyond livid.

"Where the fuck did you get this? Steal it?" his left hand connected with her cheek before she could gather enough breath to answer coherently.

This obviously didn't help her focus. The world spun and tipped for a moment, leaving her with little comprehension as to what was going on.

She dully noted the shift of his weight as he climbed atop her, capturing both wrists in one hand. "Well?"

She looked at him, pleading with her eyes that he let her answer. He seemed satisfied with her current beating, so he gave her a moment, and she opened her mouth carefully. "I...found—it."

His free hand went to her throat, pulling a gasp and a whimper from her. He grinned wickedly at that before glaring again. "It wouldn't be wise to lie to me," he murmured.

She said nothing, just closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. If she was going to die, she wanted to at least find something enjoyable about it.

Besides, the feeling of his weight settled down over her, the notion of his strength being so great that he could throw her around so easily made her shudder as heat stirred curiously in her lower stomach.

It was a feeling she had never experienced, so she focused on it, finding it hard to hold in a groan when he lowered himself further over her, their chests pressing firmly together. His lips brushed against her ear. "Where did you 'find' it?"

She had to manage a gasping answer, "The path I took—running—from the...fire..."

He sneered down at her, "Oh, is that so?"

She knew better than to reply, but was not prepared for his grip to shift down to her leg, catching it in a paralyzing hold.

Her yelp of agony made him smile; he knew damn good and well how sore she was.

She felt sick.

He moved his hand down a bit farther, deftly positioning his fingers on her knee. A pure scream broke from her throat as he exploited what could only have been a pressure point.

It seemed like forever before the pain began to lift.

He looked at her again, and she saw his mouth about to open but she beat him to it. "Please! Don't drag this out like the rest of the world did. Don't keep showing off—we know you're bigger and stronger and more deadly than all the other guys, let alone girls...please. Kill me quickly."

His eyes regarded her oddly for a moment. His hand went to his sword, and he finally asked, "How do you want it?"

She blinked up at him helplessly, shaking her head and shrugging.

His lips curled back in derision, and she suddenly found herself airborne. Her back collided jarringly with a tree, and she had to fight to stay conscious as she realized that he was not listening to her. That he intended all along to lure her into a false sense of hope so that her death would be all the more agonizing.

A lone tear streaked down her cheek as one of her hands fisted around the only token of home she'd ever had—a tiny silver chain that her father had given her mother just before he died. It was his most prized possession, and by giving it to her mother he seemed to have meant to show how much he prized her.

She wore it until her death, then gave it to her daughter. The girl hadn't yet taken it off even once; to her, this was the only reminder of the love between her parents, and of the love they had for her.

He caught the movement, and before she knew it he'd taken it in his fingers. "My, you certainly do 'find' a lot of jewelry, don't you?"

She had no warning before the sadistic boy had taken it, nearly breaking it in his speed.

"No!" she mumbled, more tears seeping into her eyes as she felt a chilling loneliness settle over her.

But he didn't listen. Instead, he turned and tossed it into the swiftly rushing stream.

It was gone before she could make any move to stop him.

This didn't, however, keep her from finding strength she didn't know she had, flinging herself down to the side of the water. She crawled desperately, searching, hoping, praying—

His loud laugh cut off her sequence of retrieval. She could barely see through the tears in her eyes, and she felt as though she was being torn into by savage claws; something she'd had for so long was gone. Gone, and she had no way to get it back. Not the chain, not her parents, not _anything_.

"You shouldn't go stealing," he recommended mockingly.

"If I stole it WHY WOULD I GIVE IT BACK TO YOU?!" she screeched, eyes filling furiously with even more tears to reinforce the others. "You ASSHOLE! How insecure must you really be inside? You _know_ you're stronger and faster and hotter and better and you _STILL_ CAN'T STOP PROVING IT! You're good enough, okay, Cato? Perfect. And when you leave here, and go back to all the people that care about you, I want you to remember the girl that had NO ONE. NOTHING. Remember the girl you killed twice over. I hope you're happy with yourself." She shook her head furiously, eyes spitting fire, and disappeared underwater.

* * *

On impulse, he reached in and saw her choking on water she'd no doubt breathed in on purpose. Flinging her to the bank, he placed his mouth over hers and forced air from his own lungs into hers.

She tried to resist, but had had enough damage dealt that day that she couldn't. A decent amount of water came up, and she gasped desperately. After smoothing the hair back from her face—to admire the bruise he'd given her, of course—he stood, stepping between her and the water. She blinked blearily at him, and he landed a vicious kick to her side, tossing her a few yards away from the stream.

"No, girl," he snarled. _"You _remember _me_ as the boy that didn't see your pathetic life as being worth the trouble._"_

With that, he turned and left, happy to have his father's necklace back.


	4. Chapter 4: Alone

This is a really short chapter, but I wanted to give you guys something so you wouldn't think I forgot you. =]

* * *

It took her a few days to fully come back to her senses. She suffered an awful sunburn, one of those that makes _everything_ stick to your skin, especially clothes.

Disorientation swamped her head the moment she tried to sit up, so she scrapped that plan rather quickly. Her mind swam aimlessly, not knowing where it wanted to be, only that it wanted to be _somewhere._

While she was lying there aggravatingly helpless, Cato suddenly came to mind.

Cato.

Savage, broken, beautiful Cato.

Why had he spared her? Why had he pulled her from the river, from certain death by her own hand? She was just another competitor to him, and he made it clear from the beginning by volunteering that he had every intention of winning. Translation—she must die for that to happen, by his hand or another.

The dull sound of the trickling stream reminded her of her thirst and she smiled, recalling that running water was much safer than what would've been found in the lake.

It felt good on her face, that bubbling stream. It cleared her head, and reminded her of exactly the danger she'd been in. Judging by the state of the sunburn and the outrageous thirst, she'd been unconscious for at least a day, maybe two...how in the hell was she still alive?! This was the HUNGER GAMES.

Something wasn't right here...

* * *

It didn't take her long to remind herself of just how lucky she'd been to not be slaughtered in her sleep over the past few days, so she set off quickly. The path she took kept her mostly in the shade, which she enjoyed.

The terrain was rough under her boots, but since she was used to muddy cattle pens she managed fairly.

The trail eventually offered up a patch of little purple flowers...ones she'd seen growing in cow pastures since she was little. When the petals were pulled off, it tasted like a quick shot of sugar in the mouth if the white bottoms were bitten. She bent to pick a handful, plucking a petal immediately off and sticking it between her lips.

It tasted so good.

Smiling to herself she bit into another, tossing the spent petals into the dirt before dragging her boot over them; it helped hide her trail.

What she didn't know was that no matter how well she thought she hid her trail, he would find her without even trying.


	5. Chapter 5: Undue Mercy

Alright, here's the next chapter! Please review, and thank you to everyone that has reviewed, favorited or followed so far. =]

* * *

She spent the next few hours wandering aimlessly, not knowing where she wanted to go or where she needed to be. She had an odd feeling that she might run into trouble, but dismissed it as being part of being in the Games.

A sudden instinct warned her of the presence of a certain blue-eyed Tribute...considering that the instinct had never been wrong before, she whirled around with a frown on her face, prepared to see him standing there smirking, blonde hair shining like a beacon.

Upon first inspection, he really wasn't there. Her eyes scanned everywhere, knowing that there was something they were missing, somewhere...

Oh God...there he was.

Cato.

But—wait...surely she was mistaken...Cato—by himself—on the _ground_?

The fuck?!

Upon closer inspection (after reassuring herself that his fellow Careers were nowhere near them), she saw what had him down—a series of stab wounds from what could only have been a spear. They were on his lower stomach, and considerably deep, just above the line where his pants rested. It looked like he'd been trying to address the wound when he passed out. Several Tracker Jacker stings were sprinkled across his biceps and chest, with one additional one under his eye. That had certainly not helped his consciousness situation.

_I can't just leave him here. Not after he saved my life before...I should. I should leave him here for some other Tribute to find so that he can't kill anyone else and I won't have to worry about him._

She frowned at her own mental argument, reaching into her pocket to retrieve some leaves for the stings, and started with them despite her misgivings at helping him. One by one she pried each stinger out, grimacing at the pus that welled up at the slightest pressure. She tossed them well to the side, not wanting to have to deal with them again.

He took much longer to react than she'd have thought he would; she was on to the third sting before it happened. But when it did, it was volatile.

He sat up fast, his hand going immediately for her neck. His eyes were wild, and she let out a shocked gasp despite the fact that she'd been aware he'd have to wake up _sometime..._she just hadn't expected it to be quite so extreme.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he snarled, baring his teeth savagely, madness dancing on the periphery of his eyes.

She sat very still, knowing that to move would mean to provoke him. Her eyes went to the leaves in her hand, and she slowly unfisted it, showing the crushed greenery to him.

"Poison?!"

The look she gave him spoke for itself.

"Then what?"

"Leaves. This kind takes the pain away from the stings, sort of nullifies the venom."

Without taking his eyes off her, he experimentally reached up to touch a sting near his left shoulder. After his brow uncreased at the momentary disgust of the chewed mush, he started, eyes widening. Then they narrowed. "Why didn't you do all of them?"

"Because you woke up and I suddenly found myself in peril of my life," she grumbled, glaring at him.

He smirked, raising an eyebrow. "'Suddenly'? Please—you couldn't fight me off if I was all stung up, drunk as hell and half asleep."

She rolled her eyes. "Are you going to let go now?" the words sounded more impatient than she'd intended.

Without loosening his grip on her neck even a centimeter, he reached into her pocket, carelessly tugging out its contents.

Assorted leaves came out, along with her last apple. He ate the apple without asking. Without any consideration for her at all. Hr stomach growled as he made a huge show of enjoying it before tossing away the core, stretching and declaring, "What? No meat? No wonder you're so tiny!"

"I'm at least a few inches taller than my mother was," she replied icily, recalling the huge difference in size between her parents.

He laughed. "So, descended from midgets, then?"

Realizing that he had let go, she stood and tried to make a run for it—

Only to be forcibly introduced to the ground.

He drug her back by her ankle, and she suppressed a cry of rage as she found herself being towed back towards him.

"Nice try," he said sardonically, looking at her with amusement and a bitter smile on his face.

She growled. "Let me go."

He cocked his head as if he was considering it. "Nahh. I let you go once—that's unheard of for me. Twice? I think not."

Chill stirred in her, and she looked up at him nervously. The predatory look in his eyes was unsettlingly familiar; she'd seen it somewhere else, before...

"No epic speech this time?"

"Nope," she replied lightly, refusing to give in to his mind game.

He paused a moment before sighing dramatically and sitting down, pulling her back towards her pile of leaves. "Look what you've done now! I'm bleeding again. Fix it."

She eyed him shrewdly. "And how can you be sure I won't poison you?"

"Simple," he said, reaching for his blade. "We test it on you."


	6. Chapter 6: Escape

Thanks for all the reviews, favorites and follows! Here's the second chapter of the day. =]

* * *

The huge boy had snatched her right arm in his unbreakable grasp before she knew what he intended. With a wicked grin, he drew his sword deliberately across the top, opening up a sizable gash. "There. Show me how you intend to address my wounds."

Her involuntary cry of pain seemed to have floated over his head as if he didn't hear it. Grabbing a loose piece of her ragged pants, she tore a strip off, crushed up a few leaves, and secured them with the fabric. A grimace of mild discomfort marred the effect slightly, but she still managed a sarcastic, dry mutter, "Viola!"

"Why did you use those leaves instead of these?" he demanded.

"Because those draw out poisons or infection. These accelerate coagulation, so the wound won't bleed badly or for as long."

He nodded thoughtfully, his face relaxing slightly as he slid to the ground, leaning his head back against the rocky wall of a cave not too far away. She assumed this had been where he'd wanted to end up in the first place. "Go for it, then."

She blinked at him a few times, registering that he'd pulled his shirt up enough that you could see every inch of his six pack...damn...maybe eight?!

He smirked at her uneasy expression as she retrieved her water bottle. Stepping over him carefully, she instructed him to roll onto his side so that the nasty water running off his wounds wouldn't go anywhere but the floor.

He tensed up a bit at the slight chill before relaxing and watching with interest as she cleared all the dried blood, mud and other filth from what turned out to be three decent stab wounds. Definitely the work of an inept spear-wielder.

Finally she turned him back over, confident that she could be of some use there. A few torn strips from her jacket, and he had a decent bandage. She laid her hand flat upon the knots to see how conspicuous they were; it wouldn't do for someone to notice the injury, target it, and undo all her effort. But she jumped in shock when he shifted, purposefully flexing.

He laughed at the look on her face, and at the blush she could feel taking up residence in her cheeks. "Those are abs, just so you know," he said, smirking. "You probably haven't seen any before, considering how pathetic men from your District tend to be."

She snorted, something she'd always been told was unladylike. "I know what abs are. Even girls have abs." She said this mockingly, as she was getting a strong misogynist vibe from him.

Now it was his turn to look startled. "No you don't!"

Wise to his grabbiness, she moved away as quickly as she was able. "Don't you dare." she hoped the firm warning conveyed just how pleased she would be if he tried to see her stomach.

He went for it anyway.

With a martyred groan, he got up acting like nothing was going on. But the second she glanced away, he seized her in the inescapable prison of his arms, and his hand had snatched the bottom of her shirt. Presently, he was trying very hard not to laugh as he looked down. "That's a ribcage, not abs!" He sounded smug.

"I didn't say I had man-abs!" she replied defensively, glaring at him as she tried to struggle against him. "I'm not an Amazon!"

His smirk widened. "'Man-abs'?"

She let out a heavy sigh, realizing that no matter what she said or did he would turn it around on her. After a moment, he dropped her to the floor, and she hit with a resounding thud. Not willing to expend all her energy dealing with him, she let out a yawn and curled up a bit, as if she was going to sleep.

He left her where she was, propping himself up against the wall and training his eyes on the mouth of the cave.

She was kinda glad he left her there...she wouldn't know what to do if he had kept bothering her. She did know, though, that whatever was happening here was temporary. He would have his fun with her, then dispose of her whenever he felt it was necessary.

The thought was painful enough that she began to plot. She wouldn't have to hurt anyone to survive this time...all she'd have to do was escape. It might take a bit of deeper thought, but she was certain that she could make her way away from him without too much incident.

* * *

She had to wait till it was close to dawn before making her escape; it was plain that Cato didn't trust her, and that he had an utter disregard for her right to life despite his having spared her before. He was still propped up against the cave wall, but had moved to sit closer to the front, between her and freedom. He hadn't left a torch going, but the fire from earlier still smoked enough that any interested Tribute could have tracked it easily.

He sat there, uncaring, hair ruffled and muscles tense, even in his sleep.

He really thought he was invincible.

Slipping silently by him, she disappeared into the mist and the nearest cluster of trees. Now there was no going back...if he caught on that she could sneak past him it would shake his faith in himself, and it would get her killed.

A little voice in her head was whispering to her, curious as to what his reaction would be when he woke up to find her gone.

She buried that thought, stomach growling insistently. It was making her lightheaded, and she didn't know how in the hell she was going to find water and food in time. Already it was getting harder to walk...

* * *

She sighed with defeated relief once she finally returned to the stream where she had first really encountered Cato a few hours later.

Her head was submerged in seconds, and she took a gulp of water, reaching with her left hand to roughly comb through her chocolate-colored hair. An unreal amount of dirt, blood and sweat came off in that water, forming a murky, nasty cloud that drifted off downstream.

Now, for food...damn. Where was she going to get food at this point? She muttered a few angry words about Cato and set off.


	7. Chapter 7: Discovery

Here's a chapter focused more on Cato alone. Thank you to everyone that favorited and followed. =] Please review if you want to see this story continue.

* * *

He woke up to find her gone.

After a few choice words, he sat up irritably, wondering how in hell's name she'd managed to disappear without waking him up. _Oh well...it doesn't matter. She'll wander off, more than likely get herself killed. You'll move on, kill anyone left, and win. _

A simple enough plan, in theory. So it didn't make sense that the notion was so painful to him.

"CATO!" roared a voice from across the trees, a form breaking out to the other side of them.

"Marvel!" Cato shouted back, rising quickly to greet the approaching Career.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Those fucking Tracker Jacker stings messed me up," he complained, frowning at the thought of what exactly had put him in that state...Katniss and her bitch, Peeta. Between her dropping the nest of bugs on him and him jabbing blindly at him so that his "love" could escape, Cato had been thrown into a vulnerable position.

"I know, me too man. That bitch is gonna get exactly what she deserves..._pain._" Marvel agreed.

"Where are the others?"

"Clove's back at camp recovering, but I think she caught the least of it. Glimmer and the other girl are...dead." the boy seems to have to force the word out.

"From the stings?" Cato asked gruffly.

"Yeah. They were the closest when the nest burst, and they were the slowest to get away."

"So be it," muttered the blonde. "If we needed any more reason to slaughter the bitch, we've got it now."

Marvel nodded. "Come on. Clove will be anxious to see you so we can revise our plans to exclude the ones that can't help us hunt anymore."

Cato strode out into the clearing, eyes taking everything in; she had to have left some trace of evidence as to where she'd gone. But somehow there was nothing.

The walk back to camp was a quiet one, silent except for their light footsteps and the occasional comment from Marvel.

* * *

_It's a good thing I'm away from him. He's a danger and a hindrance. That's all,_ she thought to herself, trekking through the trees in the direction she knew to be opposite from the lake.

For all his attractiveness, she was somewhat right; she knew he could kill her without a second thought, and that his distrust of her would only waste valuable time.

_That's all he is. A killer._

* * *

"You fucker! Where the hell have you been?" the loud female voice struck Cato, and he blinked to see Clove materialize on the edge of his vision.

"Don't worry about it," he replied, heading straight for the supply pile. Snatching an apple, he bit into it, feeling some of the juice run down his chin. It was a fine apple, much better than the wild one he'd taken from that girl. It had hardly been worth the space it took up.

"I wasn't worried about you. I was worried there wouldn't be a good show for the people back home when I kill Katniss if the only help I had was Marvel," she snorted.

"Hey!" snapped Marvel indignantly.

Clove chuckled, shoving the District 1 boy playfully. "Sorry, you're just not quite gory enough."

Cato made a disgusted noise. "Could you two please take that elsewhere?"

"What? Jealous?" she teased, knowing he wasn't. They were like two peas in a pod, or siblings...nothing else. Though he'd been upset to see the Career pack so sorely weakened by losing two members at once, he'd been happy enough that Glimmer had been one to die; she had annoyed him slightly, and it left Clove time to toy with Marvel as she pleased before they both died.

"Definitely," he chuckled sarcastically.

Sister or not, he would kill her just like the rest when it came down to it. They both knew it.


	8. Chapter 8: Return

Hey guys! =] Thanks for all the new favorites and follows. But I'm serious about reviews...if people don't start, the posts on this story are going to trickle to a stop. I've already decided how it ends and have a lot more written, so that'd be really sad.

* * *

A few hours later, Evania was sitting beneath a tiny outcropping of rock when she heard a horribly loud noise...if she didn't know better, it was an explosion.

What could have exploded, she had no idea. It didn't make sense to hear something like that in the arena.

She decided to pick up and head for the cave she'd shared with Cato; surely since he was back with the pack he wouldn't go there now. Besides, it was too obviously stupid of a plan, so it could actually work.

The path she took to the cave was different from the one she had taken to escape it...if another Tribute had followed her, she didn't want to run back into them. She went without incident, sighing as she saw that he'd left absolutely nothing of value in their former hideout.

It sucked to realize, but she'd been right. Getting rid of him had been the right choice.

She sat there alone for quite awhile, just listening to the birds singing. Finally, she sighed and pulled her thin blanket out, curling up in it to fall asleep.

* * *

"Cato! Hey, Cato!" it took him a moment to realize that Marvel was trying to talk to him.

"What?"

"I'll keep going...you and Clove can go back, alright? I'll kill whoever was trying to trick us and you guys can check on camp."

He pretended not to notice that the taller boy was trying desperately to impress his District partner. "Fine."

In the next moment, a giant explosion rocked the arena. "What the fuck?"

Clove pointed into the distance, towards a huge cloud of smoke. "Shit! The supplies!"

Rage bubbled up in him at the thought, and he was running before he really knew what he was doing. Maybe if they got there in time they could catch the bitch that had interfered with their camp.

Trees, bushes, rocks, the sky...it all blurred together into a whirlwind of color as he propelled himself through the arena. His lungs burned a little, but they didn't ache yet as he pushed himself to go faster, farther, _now._

He broke into the clearing, sweating and swearing like he'd never get the chance again. "What the fuck happened here?!" he bellowed at the boy from District 3, the only guard they'd left.

"I-I don't know. Really, I really d-don't—"

The large Career seized him by the shirt. "How in the fuck can you not know?"

The boy nodded, wiggling out of his shirt and scrambling backwards. Unamused, Cato glared at him, relishing the rage that seethed through him until he turned to run. Then he reached out, snatching him in a headlock. His victim squirmed, whimpering and crying.

Angered even further by this, he gave a sharp, trained jerk of his arms, snapping the boy's neck.

Clove stood there, watching. "Cato. Calm down. Cato!"

"What?!" he snapped, ready to literally beat the little asshole that did this to him to shreds.

"They're dead. They have to be. We'll just wait until tonight—they'll show the dead in the sky, and then we'll know."

He kicked the body at his feet out of his way. "For their sake, I hope they're dead. If they're not, I'm going to skin them alive. I'm going to systematically break every single one of their bones. I'm going to tear out their guts and choke them with them!"

Clove said nothing, knowing better. When Cato got like this, it was safer to just allow him whatever revenge he thought he wanted.

"You know what? I'm gonna go hunting. Stay here and guard the camp."

She just looked at him, shaking her head to herself.

He stormed off into the forest, not waiting for a reply. She knew how he operated, which was essentially alone. For this reason, she let him go.

* * *

He didn't really know where he was going, only that he needed to get there. It was taking too long to find a Tribute, too long to make another kill. He wracked his brain for anything that might give him another, but it took awhile for him to remember...there was always that girl from 10.

He reached her cave without much trouble. It wasn't guarded. He didn't know how he'd known she'd be there, but there she was, curled up in the back with her paper-thin blanket. He raised his sword, his previous hurt at her disappearance rearing up.

In her sleep, she tossed a bit, rolling farther onto her side and making a face. Still, she didn't open her eyes. He lowered the tip, causing it to prick the fabric covering her chest. Just before he drove it home, he remembered that there was nothing to eat back at camp, realized that this girl could be the difference between starvation and victory. On a whim just as curious as the one that had led her to him, he sheathed his sword, instead putting his arms around her. He buried his face into her hair, and went to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9: Confusion

Second chapter up today. =] It's a bit closer to the length I figured I'd be posting from the beginning, which is a lot longer. x] If you have any questions, leave a review and I'll be sure to answer.

* * *

She woke up, sighing happily into the early morning, snuggling back against the heat at her—the fuck?!

Panicking, she twisted around, coming face-to-face with a sleeping Cato.

His expression was surprisingly peaceful, and she immediately realized who he'd first reminded her of—Chaos, the head bull at the farm she'd worked for. He was as cruel and wild as anything, except when he was with Echo. Echo was a cow he was bred to often. Their pens were far enough away that they couldn't do anything for awhile, but since they were bred every time she came into season, Evania turned them out together one day. Echo was a few weeks out of season at this point, so it would be a friendly encounter.

Echo, being the serene and curious cow she was, wandered about for a while, not yet encountering Chaos. But the little orphan saw him, watching her. Some of the bulls there got very rough with the cows, so they were always separarted. But, while Chaos was definitely the most highly feared bull on the farm by the rest of the staff, Evania knew he wouldn't hurt her.

She was proved right as they regarded each other with disinterest for a while. Then she was proved brilliant when Echo was calving in the middle of the night, and having complications. No one had expected it to be so early. Chaos stood by her, bellowing in the rain, waking the deaf. Evania came running, and he regarded her calmly as if to say, "It's about damn time."

Then, to minimize risk to the calf, Chaos was removed via popular vote of the employees. Evania vehemently disagreed with this development, up to the point of giving a speech to a crowd that eventually disappeared.

Calves are sneaky little creatures though, and they like to escape. One day the most recent by Echo and Chaos managed to wiggle under and around the fencing, which faces a mild-sized, open plain with trees bordering it on the other side. Bad things—for cows, anyway—lived in those woods. Every once in a while a calf would be stupid enough to wander up to one, and would be killed.

Chaos had been keeping tabs on his little family. Despite being separated from Echo and sent around to a few other cows, it was obvious that he still cared for his...sort-of wife.

Anywho, little Storm (the name she finally chose for the calf) wandered out one evening when everyone was busy getting ready to go home. Being the last person left, Evania climbed into her own bed in a tiny shed outside the farm owner's house. She slept soundly, never dreaming what she would find in the morning.

The first thing she noticed were the shambled remains of Chaos's fence panel. The second was the frolicking calf (keeping within a decent distance from its pen and mother), and the seemingly happy bull standing by the fence, nose to nose with Echo.

At first, she was angry; to her, it looked like Chaos was finally living up to his name.

That was when she discovered the last, most wonderful and yet terrible thing—the dead wolf.

Upon closer inspection, Storm had a single set of bite marks on his leg. Chaos had blood splattered over his horns. The gaping gash in the side of the wolf proved the point she'd been trying to make to her coworkers perfectly.

Upon showing this to her boss, he decided that Echo and Chaos would work better as a team.

This was a beautiful memory, save for the haunting howl she recalled hearing as the lovely she-wolf crept from the cover of her territory. It was obvious that she was who could only be her mate, and every single other wolf in the vicinity paused, frozen at the tone. She licked at his face a few times before letting out the same sound once more, this time drawing it out.

Some part of her, gazing at the sleeping boy next to her, longed to say that they were the human equivalent of Chaos and Echo, but even if they were she knew Cato wouldn't admit it. Why should he? He was on the fast track to becoming a Victor, and no silly confession of love for a girl from another District would do him any good.

* * *

He didn't stir until late morning, leaving her lying there in a rather pleasant predicament.

"Good morning, sunshine." she whispered, looking at him as his eyes flickered open. "How'd you find me?"

"So many questions, so little time given to wake up," he complained, yawning.

"I only asked one," she said sharply. "All I want to know right now is how in hell's name you knew I came back here."

"It wasn't hard to figure out," he yawned sleepily. "You're predictable."

She scowled at him. "Why are you here?"

"Because I feel like it," he said dismissively.

"Sorry to tell you this, but that answer doesn't count."

"Oh well. What's for breakfast?"

"Right now? Nothing. I haven't had a chance to go looking for food."

Sighing, Cato reached for his pack, which he'd propped against the wall. "Fine. Here." he tossed her a full-sized apple from the sack in the Cornucopia, taking one out and biting into it himself.

She didn't even allow for inspection time, she was so hungry. She bit ferociously into the apple, juice dripping down her chin and the crunch ringing in her ears. After swallowing the first bite, she looked up like she'd forgotten something. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied.

They finished their meal in silence.

* * *

"So...how'd you find me?" she asked again, hours later. He wouldn't escape that question.

"Easy. I thought, 'If I was a girl, where would I hide?' That led me to 'The same place I always hide.' You really should be more original about it."

She glared at him. "What?"

"You heard me. You just don't want to admit that you're a bit helpless when it comes to these Games."

Even though she knew it was true, it stung her pride. "And you aren't?"

"Of course not. I'm a Career. This was my biggest dream for a long time."

"What is it now?"

"Winning."

"I should've known."

"Well, winning isn't even so much of a dream as my only option," he admitted.

Her tone became condescending. "Actually, you have precisely the same two as the rest of us—win or die."

"I can't die."

"No, you don't want to die. It is, in fact, a distinct possibility. Any of us could die at any time in here. Just imagine—a flood sweeps the entire arena, or a fire burns everything to a crisp and it becomes a literal competition of starvation."

"No...they won't do that, and there's no one else in these Games that can stand a chance against me."

"What about Clove? Thresh? Katniss?" even as she said it she knew it would piss him off to hear.

He scowled at her. "Clove is the only real competition worthy of being here. Thresh and Fire Bitch are both from outlying Districts—people from that far out have limited brain capacity. It makes them easier to beat."

Rage bubbled in her veins, racing for her heart and readying her for verbal battle. "Oh we do, do we?"

"Yes, you do," he insisted, superiority radiating from his tone.

"We'll see about that," she chuckled bitterly. "See, people from Districts that aren't as wealthy as yours aren't stupid. In fact, we've been pushed so hard for so long just to scrape by, we can do anything with nothing. We can hunt, fish, build our own shelter. Everything we know how to do was learned by necessity."

He laughed at her. Straight up, outright, laughed at her. "Well, while you're out building shelters and learning how to catch things, people from Districts like mine are making real advancements in the world—building safer homes, developing new construction materials. It's revolutionary."

"It must be nice, all those new, synthetic bits of junk stuck together to form a house. But you're only revolutionizing the upper class of humanity. Because you know what? I've never even seen these things you speak of. I bet they don't make it past 4, if that."

He looked at her in confusion. "Of course they do. Our stone reaches every District, even 12."

"No, Cato, it doesn't. Maybe it goes to the Victor's Village. Maybe that's why I've never seen it."

"Our stone was the foundation of Panem!" he insisted stubbornly.

Sensing a dead end with convincing him that she'd never seen a house built with stone, she changed tactics. Maybe there was something she could use that would reassure him that not everything in their lovely nation was fair. "Have you ever tasted pork?"

"Of course."

"Beef? Lamb?"

"Everyone's had beef, but there aren't any sheep left for lamb. They went extinct before the rise of Panem." He looked even more confused than before as he rattled off answers ingrained in his mind.

"Wrong," she corrected, looking up at him. "They're rare, but not extinct. So rare, that only the Capitol and the top dogs in District 1 can afford to have them butchered. I've seen them. Helped raise them, even. I bet your District just told you that they were extinct so you wouldn't feel lacking for never having had it."

He gaped at her in shock. "But that would mean—"

"Yeah, it sucks to be underprivileged, doesn't it?"

"I've had everything I've ever needed."

"I'm sure you have, Cato. I'm sure you have."

* * *

He didn't speak to her for another hour, apparently offended that she had even considered him to be anything like her. His silence was unnerving; she couldn't know what he was thinking, but her imagination did a pretty good job filling in the gaps.

He was a killer, and a cold-blooded one at that. He could be quietly debating between decapitation and strangulation, for all she knew. It wouldn't make much difference in the end if he caught her, though—dead was dead.

She didn't want to be dead. Not even if it meant getting out of this awful arena, or escaping his icy eyes. It scared her so badly to think that the boy sitting next to her would destroy her without any problem whatsoever, then be heralded as a hero throughout the rest of Panem. Of course, being a Victor was a huge honor. It was a tough thing to do to kill 23 people and survive the elements and obstacles. But it didn't mean that it was right.

"Stop it," he finally ordered from his place at the mouth of the cave.

"What?" she asked irritably, glaring at him.

"I said, 'Stop it.'"

"I heard what you said. I meant, 'Stop what?'"

"Thinking. You think yourself in circles and it does you no good."

"Says who? What makes you think that I was thinking?" she asked, curious as to what had tipped him off.

"The look on your face. It was so analytical...you looked like you were trying to pull an answer out of thin air that just wouldn't come."

She laughed at him. "Of course it did."

"You know, I liked you better when you were afraid of me," he growled suddenly.

"Pfft. Who says I was ever afraid of you?"

"I do. I remember the look on your face in the training room."

She couldn't respond to that.


	10. Chapter 10: The Spark

Hey guys! Thank you to all that favorited, followed, or reviewed. =] It means a lot to me. Please review with any questions you may have.

* * *

Sitting in the cave looking at him, she couldn't help but wonder why he'd come back. There were two other Careers in the arena that he was neglecting by being around her. Careers that would start asking questions and likely kill her or further enslave her should they discover her connection to Cato.

It wasn't that she minded being around him, really. At least aside from his brash, ruthless moments he was rather intelligent and she'd hate to have to go up against him in a fight that actually ended in death. If they ran into another Tribute, he'd certainly be useful.

She still couldn't understand why he hadn't ended her the day she'd returned his token, which now hung like a constant, maddening reminder of her inexplicable escape around his neck.

It could be a play for sponsors, she decided. Maybe they liked seeing him confuse and disarm his imminent prey. Or maybe since there were fewer Careers the others had stopped taking his orders. That was unlikely, though. He really was their leader, whether they all liked it or not.

Her gaze fell on his face, onto the sharp contours and deep blue eyes. It traced over full lips, a strong jawline.

"What?" he finally asked, looking at her oddly. It was then that she realized she'd not only been caught staring, but staring for awhile. "What's going on? Why are you looking at me like that?!"

She hesitated, not wanting him to realize what had crossed her mind.

"Seriously."

"I...I was just thinking. It's not important." She could already feel the blush spreading on her cheeks as she realized with horror that she had definitely been caught.

He stepped closer again, and it was as if he was torn between frustration and amusement. "Alright," he murmured, eyes glinting mischievously. "We'll just have a few tests to figure it out. You're a terrible liar, I hope you know."

She frowned at him, and he chuckled. "Let's see...were you thinking about me?"

Even as she scrambled to deny it, she could feel an even more traitorous blush spreading over her. "N-no!"

He smirked. "Of _course_ you weren't. But since you were _not_ thinking about me, were you _not_ thinking something...traitorous?"

Damn. It was as if he'd pulled the word right from her mind. "To you or me?" she muttered darkly.

"Me, naturally. Your loyalty to yourself isn't my problem."

"Then no."

He raised an eyebrow as he caught that truth. "Hmm...what could little Evania be thinking that is about me, and causes her to betray herself?" he made a mockery of pondering it. "Ah! Ev', don't feel too bad. I get that reaction a lot."

She scowled. "Then you'll have no trouble ignoring it from me."

He stepped closer, close enough that she could smell him—a heady mixture of sweat, metal and forest that made her swoon slightly.

"That's true. I can easily ignore the issues of other people. What _they _want is of little concern to me." His eyes met hers, a fiery tone taking to the icy hue. "However, I cannot ignore what _I _want."

And in the next second, Cato had swooped in, planted his lips on hers, and pinned her to the cave wall.

* * *

In that moment, she was fairly certain that she was dead. The real Cato would never act this way with her.

It was pure heaven to feel his solid, massive form lined up against hers, to have the delicious duality between them shown—his rock-hard abs against her soft belly; his firm chest against her breasts; his callused fingers securing themselves onto her hips.

His lips were effortlessly moving with hers for some time before she felt a soft nip on her bottom lip that registered immediately in her scattered brain. She gasped in surprise and delight, and she felt his lips twist into a smirk even as his tongue swept past her lips, no longer kissing. This was more akin to claiming than anything.

After awhile of this she could no longer fight the urge to try to turn the tables. He let out a shocked grunt as she shifted, fisting her hand into his hair in an attempt to gain leverage.

After a moment's struggle, he relented, allowing her to venture inside his mouth with her tongue.

It seemed like waking up when they finally pulled apart, blinking at each other in appreciative surprise, swollen lips tingling, and—in her case, at least—lower stomach stirring curiously.

"Wow...you really did know just what I was thinking...sort of." Her blush returned as she realized she'd admitted it out loud, and she found it hard to meet his eyes.

He laughed. "Of course I did. I've seen that look plenty of times."

All of a sudden, it was as if an icy—yet burning—hand had seized her heart, and it was squeezing it sadistically. The thought of him doing that with several other girls made her feel used, and killed any belief that she might somehow be special that had been born in the past few moments. It was almost nauseating.

Her gaze abruptly turned to their food supply, which was worrisome for her; Cato still ate like the Cornucopia's spoils were a convenient few yards away, not destroyed by Katniss. She strode to the end of the cave, snatching up Cato's emptied pack; it was bigger than hers.

A strong grip on her arm forced her to a stop. "What are you doing?"

"Going to find food," she snapped, glaring at him.

Sensing her rage, he released her arm. She blinked a few times in surprise, but could tell that such behavior would not be would not go unpunished should it show up again.

The sun was hot as she made her careful way down through a small clearing in the densest woods within a reasonable distance from the cave. The apple tree she'd robbed before was completely gone, and it seemed that there were no others like it.

Something red caught her eye, and she suspected it to be blood—until she saw the familiar leaves of a strawberry plant.

Hardly believing her luck, she fell to her knees, hastily opening the empty pack she was lugging. Half of the bag was full before there were no more. But the great mound of promise was enough, far more than she ever expected. Strawberries were full of sugar, not to mention a tasty treat that reminded her of home.

On the return trek, she noticed another thing that took her by surprise, and it seemed almost as good as the strawberries.

But by the time she returned to the cave, Cato had already retrieved the silver parachute and opened its container, regardless of the glaring '10' marking it.

"Hey!"

He didn't turn towards her demanding shouts, at least not at first. "Cato!" she finally snapped, and he glanced over warily.

"What?"

"You opened my sponsor gift!"

He snorted. "It was hardly worth the trouble of retrieving the damn thing from outside."

"Where is it now?!" she demanded angrily.

He tossed something towards her, and she barely caught it before it slammed into her face. Forcing back her fury at his—Cato-ness—she took a look at what she'd caught, a huge smile stretching across her face. "Oh! Thank you!" she gasped toward the camera, eagerly unscrewing the cap on the plastic bottle.

"What is it, anyway?"

She took a moment to answer, happily smearing the green substance over her peeling face, arms and shoulders. "It's aloe vera."

"Aloe vera?" Cato repeated, tasting the words carefully. "Never heard of it."

"We use it all the time in my district," she continued, glancing up at him. "Sometimes we'll be out for way too long riding fence or herding cattle...the sunburns can get wicked. So we put this on them, and it speeds the healing right along."

"Well, at least your sponsors aren't stupid," he laughed, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "You definitely had a peely face. Although I'm not quite sure how a sunburn is a game-changing issue."

"You'd be surprised," she murmured, looking up at him through her hair. "Think about what a sunburn does to you: tightens your skin, makes it hurt to move. Some people don't have a very high pain tolerance...a slathering of aloe vera might mean the difference between life and death for them."

_Why did I just tell him that?! Why couldn't I have just said it was moisturizing lotion and I used to be very fond of having soft skin? Now the second he burns a little he'll use it all, or worse he'll— _

Evania didn't even have time to finish her train of thought before he'd snatched the bottle from her grip.

"So basically if I let you keep this it'll give you an unfair advantage over me?"

"Cato..." she gazed at him, at a frustrated loss for words. To say it wouldn't would be a lie and they both knew it. To say that it would would mean immediate removal of her precious aloe vera.

"Well?"

"Just give it back!" she finally said, glaring at him. "It's not like me having non-constant pain is going to alter your chances of winning."

"You just said it could!"

_Dammit..._ "Cato!" she growled, jumping up and latching onto the arm that had coiled back to throw the bottle as far as it would go like a striking snake. He struggled against her, snarling and cussing at her until he finally froze, realizing he needed to regroup.

"Let go of my arm, bitch."

"Let go of my bottle, asswipe."

"I asked you first." He smirked at her, chuckling to himself.

She grunted as his elbow connected with her stomach. "I don't really care. Let. Go. Of my. Sponsor. Gift."

"Nahh." he said, turning so that she was stuck between his side and the wall of the cave. Suddenly in peril of being squished to death, she began pushing against him with all her might,

"Cato! Please!"

"Please what? You can't have everything, you know."

"Please stop hurting me!"

He froze, a frown overtaking his face. Like she'd become engulfed in flames, he backed away from her. She dropped to the ground like a stone, and he threw the bottle to the ground with severe force, causing it to explode.

"There." he snarled before turning and striding from the cave.

* * *

Evania sat there alone for a few hours, eyes teary from his outburst. She wasn't sure why it mattered to her, so she got angry and sat there, meticulously scooping globs of aloe vera onto the biggest piece of plastic left intact. It was kinda gross now, not to mention the fact that it would be useless in a matter of days, if not hours.

With shaky fingers, she turned to pick up the smaller fragments of busted plastic, just in time to see a bloodstained Cato come striding in the doorway.

He took a look at her from the corner of his eye, and they softened.

Sighing, she debated saying something to him but then thought better of it. He had an odd expression, and it'd probably be a better idea to let him start a conversation if he wanted one.

He didn't.

"Would you like help cleaning that off?" she finally asked him, gesturing to the giant smear of blood across him, splattering his face.

He snorted. "It won't matter. I'm about to go make it worse. I just finished off that girl from 6, at least I think she was from 6. That doesn't matter either because she's dead now. I stuck a sword in her gut and twisted."

Evania felt herself blanch at the imagined pain that girl had just experienced.

"It wasn't anything like the first time I found you," he continued, beginning to pace. "You were a fast little bitch, and you had some form of fight in you even when you asked me to make it quick. Even contemplating death, you weren't ready to die."

_You're wrong, Cato. I _was_ ready to die, and almost glad to do so. Whatever fight you saw in me must've been pure self-preservation. _

"No, this girl, she begged. She begged so hard I thought she was gonna try and fuck me right there...I just can't believe the bitch thought I would rather fuck her than kill her. She actually thought I don't enjoy it."

"Do you?" Evania asked, blinking at him sadly.

"Of course...it's such a powerful feeling, watching the light in someone's eyes go out and knowing that you were the one that made the difference that changed it. Fucking isn't the same...you don't have to take control, the bitch gives it to you without any fight whatsoever."

Now it was her turn to snort. "I wouldn't know."

"Wouldn't you?" he asked curiously.

She shook her head.

"You mean, you've made it this far into the Games and you haven't killed a single Tribute?"

"Nope."

He frowned. "That's just not acceptable."


	11. Chapter 11: Betrayal

Second chapter today! =] Warning: For all of you that really hate graphic violence, skip this chapter. It gets pretty gory, as will parts of the rest of the story.

* * *

She wasn't sure where they were going, only that Cato was leading with such confidence that he'd been there before. She wanted to turn around and go back to the safety and non-violence of the cave, but at the same time she knew that he was about to show some of his crazy and that it would be better if someone else was there to receive it.

He ducked under a branch that swung back, snapping her in the face. It made her cheek sting, and she frowned at the rudeness of not warning her before she realized that she'd just be digging herself a bigger hole.

Finally, she saw it—a trail of smoke twisting and dispersing off into the sky. Whoever had been dumb or desperate enough to light a fire was about to pay for their actions.

Cato slowed his gait just enough to be more deliberate about how he placed his feet...how this near-200-pound boy could move so quietly was beyond her. He circled, coming to the back of the Tribute when Evania recognized him. She tried to snatch Cato's arm to stop him, but she was too slow and he was already breaking from his cover with a savage yell.

Paul, the boy from her District, hit the ground hard, and she heard a crack that could only have been a bone. "No! No, please! Please!" the boy begged, eyes meeting his attackers. This only made him panic worse, thrashing around and trying to no avail to remove Cato's grip.

"Stop!" barked Cato, straightening and moving his grip to the boy's neck.

Immediately, Paul froze, the terror in control now.

"This girl, she's been staying with me. She's definitely not a Career, but she is useful. But get this—she hasn't killed anyone yet!" Cato laughed, pausing for a moment. "So, I thought I'd help her out. It's not hard to track one of you worthless losers down, and you aren't hard to kill. Since she couldn't do it completely alone, I found you. Now you get the honor of being the pretty lady's first kill."

Paul looked at her, stunned. "Is it true, Evania? You're with the Careers?"

"More like, 'Career.' The only other ones left are Clove and Marvel, and they don't have to know how I'm keeping so well-fed."

"How could you? You knew that they already had the upper hand with all their years of training, and all their sponsor gifts." Paul was near tears, he was so furious.

"Paul, it isn't what it sounds like..."

"Isn't it? You faithless bitch!"

At those words, Cato stood, sending a vicious kick into Paul's side. Ribs cracked, and he landed face down in front of Evania. "Now, is that any way to speak to a lady?"

"No 'lady' would team up with a Career, especially one like you! The Evania I knew helped people, not whatever the hell she does with you."

"Shut up, Paul." she finally snapped, tired of hearing about what a traitor she was. She knew that by teaming up with Cato she would have betrayed some people, but she just couldn't _not _do it...there was something about him that was irresistible, and surely the sponsors that had stuck by her realized the predicament she was in. She owed him her life, and he owed her his...they were technically even, but still stuck together.

"Why should I? Because you want me to, and now that you're fucking Mr. Career-Boss here everyone has to do what you say?"

Evania stood in shock for a moment before kicking dirt into his face. "I'm not fucking anyone, but I'm sure you mother will be happy to hear you talking like that back home. Last words out of her son's mouth so foul not even a sailor would think them."

That wasn't necessarily true, but he was young enough to believe it and she wanted him to shut up.

He turned red in the face, but didn't stop. "And what about your mother? What would she think of you spreading your legs for this asshole?"

Evania laughed. "I haven't, so I'm sure she hasn't had any issue with the way I've conducted myself." she didn't bother mentioning that both of her parents were dead.

Cato was oddly silent, and she realized that he was observing, learning. That was part of what made him such an effective hunter.

"Go die, Evania. Go get that cute face all cut up and your head chopped off and your guts strung all across Panem."

Her jaw dropped, but before she could think of a response Cato intervened. "Is that any way to treat your District partner? Is it really, now?" she saw him glancing to the crippled foot that Paul had, and before she had time to blink Cato's boot had come down on it, and the sound the shattering bones made was unforgettable. How he had not been crying before, she had no idea, but now he screamed bloody murder and the thrashing began anew.

Her stomach twisted at the sight, and she had to put herself somewhere else in her mind to escape it.

"Now, see?" Cato asked tauntingly, smirking at the prone boy. "You can't do something like that and let it go unpunished."

"You're right, you can't." the voice rang out from across the clearing, and Evania straightened up to see a Tribute she didn't recognize striding from the trees. He held a wicked-looking scythe, and before Evania knew it it was leveled with her throat.

"Cato!" Evania screamed, trying her hardest to hold still so she wouldn't cut herself on the blade.

He turned, eyes full of rage. "Now what did you do that for?"

The newcomer ignored the question. "Let the boy go."

"What about him interests you?"

"He is my partner, much as this girl is yours."

"He's useless—his foot is shattered."

She felt the boy behind her moving, and she just barely had time to shift her foot out of the way of a vicious stomp. The movement cost her though, making a thin line of blood ooze from behind the blade. She fought back her panic at the sensation, blinking and wishing that Cato would hurry up and _do something._

"Oh, you really shouldn't have done that," murmured Cato with sadistic glee.

"I'll do whatever the fuck I please."

"Well, while you're doing that, you should remember one thing—for every drop of blood you take from her, I take twice that from him. Who do you think is likely to die first?"

"Probably her," Paul hissed, kicking out at Cato with his good foot. Cato dodged easily, but rather than turn to face the boy he kept the armed one in his line of sight.

"You should really rethink what you're about to try to do," he snickered, the laugh trailing off into a snarl. "People have a tendency to get in way too deep in these games, and it would be a pity if something you cared about met a very...slow...end."

"Is that so?" asked the boy, tightening his grip on her.

"Let go of me!" she growled, connecting the heel of her boot with his shin.

His grip loosened for a millisecond, but a millisecond was all it took for Cato to pounce, taking both of them to the ground. The intruder swung with the scythe, aiming for Cato's head but Evania took the opportunity to snatch the handle closer to the end, causing it to miss. "You are just a ruthless little bitch, aren't you?" Cato laughed, smiling at her before drilling the other Tribute in the skull with his fist. The boy realized he was in trouble, but had no time to do anything about it before Cato had taken over the scythe, and beheaded him neatly.

He spat onto the bleeding, headless body. "Let that teach you to mess with one of the pack."

Paul was lying a few yards away, face ashen with fear. He cowered as they approached him. "This one is yours, Evania."

"Cato, please don't—"

"I just saved your life! You owe me this!"

She slowed, knowing he was right but unwilling to risk the hate of her District should she kill one of their own.

Paul was shaking. "I'm sorry for what I said, Evania," he whimpered, fear dictating his every move. "Please don't hurt me."

"If you don't kill him he'll starve to death," Cato reminded her coldly. "The only humane thing to do is finish him."

"I know," she whispered, tears running down her face. "Please—please. Cato please don't make me. I knew him, he worked a few barns over and he's just a little kid."

The Career took the scythe, running it across the boy's stomach. A line of red appeared. "Evania, a few minutes ago he was rooting for you to be beheaded. Do you really believe he wouldn't do it if the situations were reversed?"

"No...no, he'd do it." she whispered. "He'd do it no problem."

"Then what are you waiting for?!" he snapped impatiently.

"I...I..."

"Here. Since something like that won't motivate you to do your job, maybe this will." this time he pressed the blade harder, and more crimson welled up. She could see into the cavity of his stomach...if Cato moved him, his guts would spill out.

Paul was screaming, begging, but none of it seemed to affect Cato in the least. He went on about his business like nothing had happened. Seeing that she was still going to wait for him to do it, he reached down, pulling a handful of the boy's intestines out.

The scream Paul gave at that was unlike anything Evania had ever heard before. It was a wail of disbelief, confusion, pure blind terror. He lost the ability to speak comprehensibly.

"Put him out of his misery, Ev. Do it, because you know that I won't. I can sit here all day and torture him, and it won't make a bit of difference to me. His pain means nothing to me."

The sound of retching came, and she realized that Paul had been sick all over himself. "Cato, please!"

He pulled out more. "Cato!"

"It's not like there's nothing you can do," he growled, insanity shining in his eyes.

"I can't kill people, Cato!"

"Oh well. He'll bleed out shortly anyway."

"Ev, please!" Paul finally managed, "Please! Even the Capitol can't fix this!"

She knew he was right. They both were. And she wanted the screaming to stop, but...it wasn't worth killing someone. She was already going to see this every time she closed her eyes, hear this in every silence.

Still, she took the scythe from Cato, who was smiling deviously. The guts in his hand shone, and the new exposure to the air had to be stinging like hell. She lined up the scythe with his neck, and she was just about to flinch away when Paul pushed up against it, slicing deeply into his jugular.

Blood spurted up onto Cato, and onto her...it was like a great, bubbling fountain, and she cried out in dismay at the sight. "See? You did it!" applauded Cato, dropping the dying boy to the ground.

She fell to the ground, shaking and unable to look at him. How could she have just done that? How could he do that without a second thought? Why was the Capitol so cruel that it forced them all to have to endure something that no child should ever have to go through? Because that's what they were—children. Barely old enough to make their own decisions, then thrust into a place where they had to make decisions about life and death all the time, be it their own or someone else's.

"Let's go," Cato said without emotion. "We have to clear out so they can collect the bodies."

She laid there, barely able to look up at the cruel beauty before her. "No."

He reached for her, scooping her up. "Come on. Not only do we need to let them take care of these bodies before they start rotting, we need to take care of this, too." he ran the pad of his thumb over the thin cut the intruding Tribute had left on her throat.

"Which one was he from?" she asked absentmindedly, not looking at him.

"I don't know," Cato replied with equal disinterest. "It doesn't really matter now. He picked the wrong fight and he won't be going back because of it."

At this point, Evania fell silent, wishing desperately that she hadn't allowed him to drag her off on his hunting trip. If she hadn't just let him boss her around, then maybe Paul would've died quickly. At least if Cato had found him alone she wouldn't have had to see it.

* * *

They reached the cave again within less than an hour. Cato moved straight to the back, unzipping his sleeping bag and sliding her into it. She laid there, gazing up at the ceiling, seeing everything that wasn't actually there.

It didn't take him long to realize that he didn't have anything to treat the cut she had. If their roles had been reversed, she would've had some kind of leaf gunk to put there and it would've made everything better. But she was in some kind of horror-induced stupor, and therefore no help.

He still tried. "Ev, you need to tell me what to do. I don't have any medicine, which is what I'd normally use on something like that. I don't know what kind of leaf it was you showed me that stopped bleeding. This isn't a very bad wound but it needs taken care of."

She just looked at him before reaching out, taking one of his bloody hands in hers. She examined it, turning it over and gazing at the gore with an analytical stare. "Why did you want me to kill someone?"

"Because, Ev, this is the Hunger Games. People die. You have to kill people in order to not die yourself."

"I didn't think I was capable of something like that," she whispered.

"You barely did anything. If I wasn't afraid it'd drive you nuts, I'd say that it didn't count."

Her eyes flashed angrily as she sat up. "You think that it's not my fault they're dead? You might've taken out the first and condemned the second, but if I hadn't been kill-less, you wouldn't have gone looking for them in the first place!"

"Of course I would! Their deaths were just a matter of time, just like—"

"Like what?" she asked quietly. "Like mine?"

He just growled, staring at her with an unnerving intensity.

She laughed, on the edge of madness herself. "What? Do you think I don't know that you'll have to kill me sooner or later? Face it, Cato. My death is imminent, just like your victory."

He closed his eyes, making an unintelligible noise.

"What?" she asked irritably, disregarding the recklessness of what she was doing.

"Just shut up!" he finally snarled, shoving her back against the wall with more force than he'd used on her to date. "Shut up! I really don't wanna fucking hear it!"

Sensing the peril she was in, she didn't respond.

His hand found her throat. His fingers carefully encircled it, tightening threateningly. "Just. Shut. Up."

She wanted to cry, but held it in, focusing on keeping her breathing even. That was something she'd noticed with kills she'd seen him make in the past...when their breathing became panicked, he lost more of himself to the hunt. Instead of verbally replying, she just nodded, not making eye contact.

He made a frustrated sound, letting go and turning to leave. He did so without another word, and she crawled back to his sleeping bag, curling up in it and breathing in his scent. It was reassuring, despite her fear of what he was capable of.

Despite knowing it was wrong, she wished that he was still there.


	12. Chapter 12: Loss

Hello. =] Third chapter today because I'm in a good mood, lol. Now I need some reviews to keep up the posting.

* * *

He broke through layer after layer of trees, making no effort to keep his movements silent. He wanted them scared, and he wanted—

_There!_ He smiled as he saw the girl from District 7. She was sitting next to a fire, and was tending it carefully. It didn't matter that this seemed like a trap—he was above traps. All that mattered was her swiftly approaching demise.

He reached for her, bare-handed. He hauled her, screaming, to her feet. She swung at him like a savage, trying and failing to hit him. He drew his sword, leveling it with her throat.

"Please! Please!" she begged, eyes filling up with tears. Eyes that were a green, but not as green as the ones that he wanted to see.

_No..._no, he didn't want to see those eyes like this. Filled with fear, fear he caused. He didn't want to see those eyes flaring, about to go out.

Realizing this, he swung his sword hard, slitting her throat and halfway decapitating the unlucky Tribute. She gurgled, choking for the second she had left alive.

Then she was dead, flung to the ground. He turned, seeing night-vision glasses coming out of the trees. He smiled to himself as his wicked District partner appeared, knowing that she would understand him as he was now. That puny little girl from 10 couldn't even come close to knowing him as well as Clove did.

"Where ya been, buddy?" she asked, coming to stand next to him.

"Around," he replied noncommittally. "I've been making a circle, killing Tributes."

"Nicely done," she grinned at him. "I heard the cannons earlier and I knew it had to be you."

He smiled back. "Yep."

"Marvel's been dead...don't know if you noticed."

He hadn't, but he held his shock in. "He was good to have around, but since we're getting down to it I understand."

"No...I didn't kill him." she said with a hint of sadness to her voice.

"Then who...?"

"District 12."

He caught the bitterness in her tone. "I'm sorry."

"Ehh. There's nothing to do now but hunt her down, carve up her oh-so pretty face, and then let her die, as slowly as possible."

"Has she found Lover Boy?"

"I'm not sure, but I bet so. It'd be safer to assume that she has backup now."

"I cut him good—he'll only be a hindrance to her now. She'll have to guard both of them with only that bow."

"Good. I figured he'd be dead by now, though."

So had Cato. "Well, I wanted him to suffer...this way, he has plenty of time to realize he's dying and that there's nothing he can do about it."

Clove laughed. "Yeah, he's got to have realized it now. I bet it's really scaring Fire Bitch, too."

At that moment, Claudius Templesmith came over the loudspeaker. As expected, he was giving an invitation to a feast.

The two Careers looked at each other.

"It's bound to be a bloodbath. We can't miss it." Already Cato's eyes were shining in excitement.

"No...no, we can't. I'd be willing to bet that what they think we need desperately is something to help us kill District 12, too."

"We do. She's a quick shot. Not quick enough, of course. If we both went after her at the same time she'd be confused and definitely stand no chance."

"Alright. At dawn, we start taking these Games home."

* * *

They stood about a hundred yards off from the Cornucopia, talking in hushed voices. "Cato, it'll be fine. I'll go in, get the pack, and if I run into District 12 I'll kill her. Face it—I'm faster than you."

Cato stood, silent for a moment. "Alright. I'll scout the area for any backup the ones that get the backpack might have."

"Good. Meet you back here shortly."

Cato nodded, turning and striding out into the woods, spear readied. He smiled at the thought of the hunt, making every effort to keep his movements silent and potentially lethal. He heard a shout from the direction of the Cornucopia and smiled as he recognized the voice of Fire Bitch. "Get her, Clove. Get her good and give them a show."

He wanted to move in closer to watch, but at the same time he knew that Clove would be angry if she found out he hadn't covered her. So he curved his path, circling around and watching for something to blunder into his path.

Not that anything would. All the action would be at the feast, with Clove. She really should've let him cover her there...despite her viciousness, he was the most-feared Tribute in the entire arena. The others would be much less likely to approach her if they saw him with her. Granted, they had to know that he was covering her. They had to realize—

A scream broke in the distance, full of fear. "Cato! Cato!"

_SHIT! _He turned in the direction of the scream, breaking out into a sprint. He barreled through trees, hurdled over bushes, went as fast as he could and yet...the clearing around the Cornucopia had gone silent. If anything, this gave him additional speed and he pushed himself as hard as he could to make it to her. He'd never heard her that scared, not in all their years at the academy.

Oh God. There she was. "CLOVE!"

She didn't reply, but he could see the rapid rising and falling of her chest, her panicked breathing.

It didn't take him long to discover that she was dying. "Clove! Stay with me! Please, stay with me!"

She looked at him with agonized eyes, the dent in her skull cast in shadow. He reached out, took her hand. She whimpered, trying to speak. Finally, she managed, "Thresh. He saved District 12."

Cato barely had time to be shocked before the sound of the cannon struck him to the core. He looked into the lifeless eyes of his District partner, and without knowing what else to do he let out a bellow of rage. How _dare_ someone take her from these Games? They were supposed to make it to the final two, and then have a grand showdown...at least until the rule change. Then they could've won together.

_Wait...there's still one girl left I could team up with. Clove's gone now, there's no use being stuck on her loss. Where did I leave her, though? I know she probably hates me now, and Clove would want me to win since she can't now...I never should have left her. Never. I should've gone with my gut and made her stay with me. If I hadn't she wouldn't be dead._

He looked back at Clove, gingerly closing her eyes. It wasn't much better, but it was all he could do. The best thing for her now would be to get out of this awful arena.

Then he turned, heading back in the direction of Evania's cave.


	13. Chapter 13: Pain

Thank you to everyone that favorited, followed, and reviewed. =] Here's the next chapter, which is a little steamier than the others have been. ;] I hope you enjoy it. Keep the reviews coming for more. =]

* * *

The late afternoon sun was beating down on the arena by the time he reached her. She saw him, still bloodstained and with a hollow look to his eyes. He entered without announcing himself, which was unusual, but she dismissed it.

After a few minutes, he sat down across from her. "Clove's dead."

Shock coursed through her at the thought, realizing what his return now meant. "How?"

"The feast this morning. Thresh."

"There was a feast this morning?!" she gasped incredulously. She couldn't really have missed it.

"Yep. What'd you do, sleep through the announcement?"

She sat there, unsure what to think. "How could anyone, even Thresh..."

"It's the Hunger Games. People die. That's how it works. Trust me, I'm not happy my District partner's dead. But it's not like I couldn't have killed her myself if it came down to that."

"I wasn't wondering how he brought himself to do it. I was wondering how he managed to actually catch and kill her," she laughed bitterly, recalling the other girl's ruthless fighting ability. Clove was a person she'd been glad to avoid.

"I don't really know. I got there too late...but there was a dent in her skull." he frowned at the memory. She could tell that her loss bothered him, despite his insistence that he could have easily taken her out himself.

"Oh." they sat in silence for a moment before she held out the pack she was clutching to him, realizing that it might make him feel a little better. "Want some?"

He reached in, grabbing a handful of strawberries and smiling in surprise. Then his face creased with suspicion. "Where did you find these?"

"Outside."

He popped one into his mouth, chewing appreciatively. "Mmm...perhaps you're more useful than I thought."

She wordlessly held the pack out to him again, and he snatched another heaping handful.

By nightfall, they'd eaten half of them. The rest she dumped into the parachute, tying the bunched-together top with the strings that had held its cargo.

* * *

That night, the temperature fell so low that it had to have been well below freezing. Curled in on herself as she was, Evania couldn't help but shiver violently, though it embarrassed her to think of how Cato would laugh if he awoke to see that.

What she didn't ever dream of happening was having him scoop her up, haul her to the back of the cave, then settle down, arms locked tightly around her.

But that's exactly what he did. He laid on his side, back towards the unforgiving outdoors, and curled in a bit as well. She couldn't have slept better or felt safer if she'd been at home with all the luxury in the world.

* * *

She woke with her face against someone's neck, and breathed in appreciatively as she recognized Cato's scent. He was still asleep, so she took the opportunity to be rapt in wonder at the sheer masculine perfection that was Cato.

A surprisingly peaceful sigh escaped her, and before she realized what she was doing she was kissing him awake, one hand on his cheek and the other settling on his arm. He responded quickly, kissing back and rolling so that he pinned her beneath the burning heat of his toned body.

He didn't linger on her lips, however. After a time she felt him slowly moving downwards, his breath tickling her as he nipped at her earlobe. Then he began work on her throat.

A gasp broke from her as she tipped her head back, ignoring every word of caution she'd trained herself to remember. But it was when he latched onto a particular spot, which he had concentrated more on as he worked, that she went crazy. An unrestrained whimper that she didn't fully understand sounded, and she felt his hands working their way down to her hips, giving a firm squeeze, which made her squirm a bit. She justified it by reminding herself that no one in these Games could resist, despite their experience.

He growled a bit, but she wasn't scared by it; the sound was so full of triumph, joy and pride (not to mention sexy masculinity) that she shivered a bit, reaching to run her hands along the broad plane of his back and shoulders, which were full of scrumptiously quivering muscle.

When he pulled back, she was absolutely certain that she was sporting a very obvious hickey.

Feeling the coolness against her throat and chin, she glanced down to see the gold chain that she had rescued.

His thoughts were apparently along the same line, because he didn't act surprised when she reached out to touch it. His eyes almost seemed disappointed as he began to speak. "You have no clue how hard this is for me, so don't make it any harder."

"What do you mean?" she asked, voice still somewhat breathless.

"I mean I'm trying to be gentle with you, but your totally obvious innocence is ruining my concentration."

"How would you know?!" she asked angrily.

"Even a virgin could tell you don't know what you're doing," he chuckled.

Embarrassed, she tried pushing him off of her. He responded by shoving his hips hard against hers, making her gasp as an amazing sensation shot through her.

"See? Everything is fresh and new for you," he continued. His smile was predatory.

"So?" she asked. "I've never cared to fuck around. That doesn't mean I'm inexperienced."

Darkness flashed through his eyes for a moment. "Yes, I think it does." he lowered his face back to her throat, barely grazing the skin with his teeth as his hot breath washed over her, making her shiver.

He purred to himself at her reaction, and she felt a rigid heat nudging at her from the crotch of his pants. Inexperienced she truly was, but she'd heard enough to know the beginnings of a boner when she encountered one.

Not wanting to seem completely untouched, she slowly rocked her hips up against his. The action was more calculated than his had been, and his eyes blazed with lust as she ground herself against him.

"Ah...she does know a thing or two," he laughed as his hand skimmed up her side. His thumb barely grazed over the thin material of her shirt, just where he saw her nipple becoming rigid.

She sucked in a deep breath, trying to subdue her reactions to his plainly experienced hands. He smirked, knowing the game she was playing at.

"Poor girl," he said. "She knows what she wants, but she won't let herself have it."

She didn't react, too lost in worrying about his hand, which was now creeping up underneath her shirt. His fingers traced the bottom edge of her bra, then pushed it up, uncovering her right breast. He toyed with it for a moment, smiling as he imagined the wetness beginning to accumulate between her folds.

She gasped, and he lowered his face to her chest. Over her shirt, he laid a teasing trail of kisses, around and around her nipple, never getting close enough to give her what she wanted. She was about to give up when he closed his lips over it, gently sucking it into his mouth and caressing it with his tongue. Even through the shirt, the sensation made her mind blank, and she shoved her hips up against his in blind wanting.

He rocked back against her, pinning her to the ground. Then, without warning, he pulled back, removing all contact. She groaned in frustration, glaring at him for not taking her to the place she couldn't find but knew she wanted to be.

"What do you want, Evania?" his voice was low with arousal.

"I...I..." she wanted him to keep doing what he was doing, but she couldn't bear the shame of asking. They weren't even dating, let alone in love like they were supposed to be to do this. Paul was right—she was only alive because Cato had some weird attraction to her, not because he was genuinely fond of her.

"Tell me. Tell me what you want or I'm going to stop." he sounded frustrated, like he hated himself for giving her an option, but at the same time she knew it was his pride that drove him to do it. He wanted her to beg for him.

But if she did that, he would know. It would be admitting that she wanted him so badly she couldn't explain it. That she wanted him to take that tantalizing touch down from her breasts straight to her virgin pussy. She wasn't sure what she wanted him to do once he got there, but the thought of him touching her so intimately was making her ache for it, and she was wetter than she'd ever been. It was dripping onto her underwear, and she knew he'd smirk with pride at that, but she still managed to look into his eyes and say, "Stop."

* * *

He looked at her in shock for a moment. "Wait...what?"

"Stop, Cato. We shouldn't be doing this."

The words didn't make sense to him, somehow. "Why not?"

"Because it's wrong," she said, pushing him off of her.

"Who cares? In a few days it won't matter."

"Why not? Because I'll be dead? Look, Cato. You might believe that there's no way you'll lose these Games, but there is. What if I win instead?"

Cato snarled to himself, wishing desperately that the rule change had been so that those teams made up of non-District partners could win together also. "I was born to win."

She regarded him coolly. "Sure."

"You said so yourself!" he shouted, glaring at her. "Remember, when we were on the bank of the river? Or was that just a play on my pride?"

"If I wanted to play with your pride, I would've let you get me naked and then turned you down."

* * *

They spent the rest of the evening glaring at each other. Cato couldn't believe she'd stopped him, and she couldn't really either. He was right—in a few days it really wouldn't matter. But the haunting eyes of Paul came back, his harsh accusations ringing in her ears.

"There's four other Tributes left," she heard him muttering to himself. "Fire Bitch, Lover Boy, Thresh, and..."

"The girl from 5," she supplied.

"Alright. I'm going hunting," he declared.

"For who?"

"The fucker that killed my District partner."


	14. Chapter 14: Revenge

Second chapter today. =]

* * *

This time he traveled deliberately through the trees, towards the Cornucopia and therefore the grain fields. His mind swam with thoughts of Clove, how she hadn't deserved to die. She was brilliant in a sadistic way, a way that the academy prized above all others.

He remembered the way she looked at him when he wandered back into camp after Marvel found him...had she known what had happened? She had a very intuitive mind, and even the District 1 boy had viewed him differently afterward. Had it been clear that he'd been helped? Had it been clear that he missed his help?

He would've liked to tell Clove about Evania...perhaps she could've given him some insight into the girl's unusual mind. If they hadn't been in the arena, he would have. But being in the arena, Clove would have undoubtedly killed her. It would have seemed to her a favor; she would've seen that Cato couldn't end her.

He couldn't have borne that. Then, finding her reduced to death so easily by that cunt from 11...he should have guarded her better. If he'd protected her like he was supposed to, then she wouldn't be dead. If she wasn't dead, Evania would be. If Evania was dead, he wouldn't have to deal with all the crazy thoughts swirling around in his mind about her.

Or perhaps they'd be even worse because he'd never know how things would turn out with her.

He lifted his head, surveying his surroundings. The field wasn't much farther now.

He trudged up to it, drawing his sword. He had the knife Clove had given him at the beginning tucked safely into his boot...he would use it to finish him.

Using the blade of his sword to part the tall vegetation, he stilled as he heard a tiny noise to his right. Turning, he saw the tops of the grain moving.

There was someone here.

The movement seemed too small to be Thresh, though. Following it, he silently made his way through the field, wondering who else could be here. He reached the edge of the grass to see that the back was where Thresh had really made his home. There was a fire, a shoddy shelter, and something cooking over the fire. Something caught his eye, and he realized it was the gift from the feast...a great '2' was emblazoned on it, and he snarled as he realized that he'd completely forgotten to go after what Clove had died for. It would be his once 11 was dead, though.

Red hair flashed through his vision, and he saw the girl from 5 reach Thresh. She kept her eyes down, and addressed him carefully. "He's left her. I don't know why because they certainly seemed cozy last night." she curled her lip in disgust at the memory.

"What's her name?" the boy from 11 asked, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Evania, I believe."

Cato's stomach twisted in fear and jealousy. _Why are they talking about my girl?_

"What time did he leave?"

"Before I got there about half an hour ago."

Thresh nodded, handing her an apple. "There."

She bit into it like a wild animal, tearing a chunk off with her teeth. "What are you going to do with them?"

"That's none of your business, really. I need her dead so she can stop healing and feeding him."

"If I kill her what will you give me?"

"Unlimited access to my supplies."

Her eyes shone with greed. "Consider it done. I just need a weapon."

"Here." he handed her a spear. "Even if you can't throw with accuracy, a sharp slice to the stomach should do it."

Pure rage boiled within Cato as they carelessly discussed Evania's downfall. He was so angry that he shook in anticipation of that bitch's death, gritting his teeth and clenching his hands into tight, dangerous fists. _HOW DARE THEY?! _

He ran out of self-control and broke from the field just in time to see 5 disappearing into the trees. He considered going after her, but in his unstable state he figured that he could get Thresh and then catch her on the way back.

"What's this about killing her?" the giant boy from 2 snarled, eyes crazed.

"What's this about not stopping my assassin?" Thresh countered acidly, circling deliberately with his scythe.

"I'll kill you both for ever thinking you could touch her. And I'll torture you for taking Clove." madness came through in his words, the vow of someone close to breaking.

"Oh really?" he asked. "What does it matter to you, Cato? They're just people, and people have to die in order to win these Games. I saved you the trouble of killing your partner, and that girl, Evania, she only held you back. But I actually like you being held back...your pack killed Rue. She was just a little girl!" now a hint of madness shone through Thresh, and it became apparent to Cato that he really had cared about the girl he had paid no attention to.

Killer of children he might have been, but he was not the reason this one had died...he wanted that known. "Marvel killed Rue!"

"It doesn't matter which one of you it was! You're all the same," he yelled.

Cato swung at Thresh, who dodged quickly and followed up with a slash of his own.

Around and around they circled, over and over. For all his training, Cato found a fairly even match in the form of the boy from the fields. Finally, _finally_, he managed a cut on his adversary's arm. Not deep, but still an injury. Thresh hissed, slashing back at him twice before landing his own blow. It caught Cato in the thigh, which slowed him down.

"Not much fun being cut there, is it?" the boy from 11 taunted. How he'd known Lover Boy had taken the same injury was a mystery, but not one that he spent much time on.

"Almost as much fun as being stabbed there!" Cato growled, thrusting his blade straight for his opponent's heart.

It tore the shirt, but missed skin. Thresh smirked. "Just imagine...Evania, getting cut straight through her stomach. Her, bleeding out, her guts ruined beyond—"

"Shut the fuck up!" Cato howled, mouth nearly foaming in fury. "You'll never lay hands on her!"

"I won't have to. While you're busy with me, 5 will take care of her."

"She's smart. She doesn't stay in the same cave when I'm gone," he lied desperately, hoping to shake Thresh's confidence.

"Does she, now? Can't stand to be in the same place she usually stays with you if you're not there?"

Thresh jabbed at Cato, puncturing his arm. Cato let out an involuntary cry of pain and hit his knees. "See? You're going to fail her just like you failed Clove. They'll both have died because you couldn't protect them."

A surge of fear forced his arm straight out, catching hold of Thresh's ankle. Dragging him down, he pulled Clove's knife from his boot. He waved it in front of his face. "See? We're gonna kill you just like Rue," he hissed, ignoring the pain and blood flowing from his wound.

Thresh struggled, but Cato had pushed the knife into his arm and twisted before he could move much. Thresh screamed, flinching away from it. Like it made a difference. The boy from District 2 smiled, pulling it out and watching blood well around the puncture. Moving closer to the face, he cut a careful trail from the original wound up to his neck. Skipping the great vein that would lead to quick victory, he continued on to his face. This was what Clove would have done, and so he traced the knife around his face, pulling every ounce of sadism from his core to help rectify her loss.

The knife sliced into his face, forming a bloody, wicked "C." "C" for Cato. "C" for Clove. "C" for complete torture.

The second cut wasn't in any distinct shape, and ran from his ear to his nose. Somehow, the Tribute that had seemed so strong before was comparatively weak to the insanity controlling the boy from 2's every action. He fought, of course. It just didn't seem to make much difference as he traced the blade around his eyes, jabbing it up under his cheek and tearing the skin back.

Thresh screamed again, reduced to terror like all of Cato's other kills had been. The flesh flipped down, and he started peeling it away. It was rough going, and he had to use the knife often. Finally, once 11 was reduced to begging and his face was mostly gone, Cato took the blade to his arm over his, severing muscle, veins and arteries alike. He would die, but he would die more slowly than the others had. The circulatory vessels that Cato had severed were small, but hard to apply direct pressure to. He continued cutting, lost in his work, until the cannon boomed.

He blinked, expecting to see his adversary gone, but he was still crying, still breathing. He stared up at the sky but couldn't possibly have seen anything; there was too much blood in his eyes. Their deep brown was almost black with agony and the shameless pleading he was offering up. _FUCK._

An unplanned, fast stab the heart finished 11 and Cato turned, even more maddened by the realization that he might have been too late. He didn't know who that cannon had been for...it could have happened for anyone.

But Thresh had sent his bitch after Evania...


	15. Chapter 15: Revelations

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* * *

She was curled up in his sleeping bag when he found her, bloodstained and scared.

He dropped to his knees, eyes wide with panic. Questions all poured out at once in a frantic, unchecked rush. "Did she find you? Did she hurt you? Did she—"

"Cato," she whispered, reaching for him with concern and shock evident in her eyes. He let her pull him close. She hugged him tightly, breathing in his comforting scent and soaking up his reassuring warmth. Feeling the wetness from the blood dripping down his arm, she pulled back. Reaching for her leaves, she asked, "What happened?"

"I told you: I went hunting," he said simply.

She shook her head, reaching for a rock to grind up the greenery. Once it was crushed satisfactorily, she pushed it onto his wound. Tearing a strip from her tattered jacket, she wrapped it around and secured it. "How about we cool it with those hunting trips, eh?" she asked, laughing slightly to herself. It was a nervous laugh that prompted questioning. He'd noted that she hadn't answered his question before, nor had she asked why he wanted to know. It could only be because her mind wasn't working correctly at the moment; Evania was always annoyingly full of questions.

"Did something happen while I was gone?"

"Oh, you know...stuff," she replied, leaning back against the cave wall and obviously avoiding giving a real answer.

He slid closer to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her to his side. He kissed the top of her head, whispering, "I thought you were dead."

"Why?" she asked in surprise that wasn't entirely realistic.

"I heard the cannon go off."

"Oh, so of course it was me," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"I heard them talking. Thresh wanted you dead." the words were out before he realized what he'd done.

"You really went after Thresh?" it made sense...he'd killed the other District 2 Tribute, and Cato was vengeful. Besides, he wanted to win and Thresh was decent competition. She'd just really assumed that he'd save him for one of the last two.

"Yes. He's dead now. But he sent 5 after you."

She blinked. "She was here..."

He growled sharply, despite her apparent lack of injury. "And?"

"I killed her."

Those three words echoed in Cato's mind, over and over. "You did?"

"She tried to stab at me with a spear...the spear she told me they took from your body," she whispered, looking down.

He stiffened. "What else did she say?"

"She told me that they'd been watching us for awhile now. That they wanted to kill you for your involvement in the Career pack. That they had killed you, and that when they did, they cut up your face with Clove's knife."

While that was basically what happened to Thresh, Cato avoided saying so at the lost look in her eyes. "Then what?"

"She stabbed at me, and I dodged it. Figuring I needed more room and being closer to the mouth of the cave, I ran out. She followed me outside...it was raining here. I don't know if it was everywhere or not."

It had been during the end of Thresh's downfall, but Cato had taken no notice and so he said nothing.

"She ran at me, trying to get the spear into my stomach. It was obvious that she'd never tried to hit a target and that she wouldn't throw it. I was faster than she was, so I baited her into jabbing at me. I jumped and grabbed the middle of the spear...she swung it down, got me in the leg, and I tripped her while she did it. She went down, I pulled the spear out, and put it into her throat."

His arms tightened around her as she recounted what had happened...he had been right to take her hunting, despite her anger at him for it. It had saved her life.

"I didn't want to kill her, I just knew that I had to or she wouldn't leave me alone. I never took her to be the direct confrontation type so what she did didn't make any sense."

"She was starving," he said. "I think it turned her mind enough that the thought of having full access to Thresh's stores made you an easy kill to bear."

Evania sighed. "Why did Thresh want me dead?"

_Because he knew it would kill me._ "Probably because he knew you'd be the next easiest kill."

She glared at him.

"Well why would it make it easy for you to kill 5 if you thought they killed me?" he countered.

"Because." _I don't want to lose you. You mean a lot more to me than I could have ever thought even though you're a controlling jackass. I can't stand the thought of you dying._

He took that answer, seeing the truth in her eyes but barely hoping to believe it. That subject made him uncomfortable.

"Let me see your leg."

She pulled it from the sleeping bag, straightening it and showing off a rather gruesome tear in her calf. "I can't walk yet...I had to crawl here."

"No...no, I bet not," he muttered, turning it to see how bad it truly was. She'd put leaves on it, but it was bad enough that Capitol medicine would have been a really nice sponsor gift. Luckily, he had a little left from the beginning. "Do you mind if I put some regular medicine on it?"

She shook her head. "Go for it."

He went out to the stream, filling the canteens and poking around for some wood that might have remained dry. Finding a little, he picked it up and piled it outside the cave. A fire was lit in no time, and he warmed the water up before setting it aside. This would be painful enough for her as it was.

"How did those stab wounds in the stomach turn out?" she asked, looking like she wanted to join him on that end of the cave.

Cato pulled his shirt up to reveal a trio of scars. "I got back to camp and put a little good ol' Capitol medicine on it and it did the trick."

She nodded. "That's good. I was afraid that they'd get worse if you didn't get back to camp in time to put some on."

He rolled his eyes. "Come on. _Peeta _stabbed me." he put emphasis on the 'E' sound in the middle, scoffing. She got the sense that he'd never actually said the other Tribute's name before. "Do you really think Lover Boy could take me out?"

"Maybe if you endangered Katniss," she replied seriously. "He really does love her...I think he could do anything if it meant getting her out of here."

He sat silently for a moment, remembering the rage that had allowed him to kill Thresh. Even he had been slightly surprised that he'd managed to hold him down, and for so long...he hadn't exactly gone quietly. But that had been to avenge Clove, not just to protect Evania...right? _Clove was my District partner. I could kill for her just based on that. Why I was ready to kill for this one, I really don't know. _He thought, refusing to admit the truth, even to himself. "He's crazy if he thinks she loves him back."

"Maybe. But just imagine how worth it it would be if she did."

He suddenly got the feeling that they weren't talking about Fire Bitch and Lover Boy anymore. Dropping the subject, he snatched her up and carried her over to sit next to the fire. "Take your pants off."

She looked at him in shock. "No!"

"I don't want to check you out. I want you to have something dry to put on once we get done with this," he muttered impatiently.

"...fine," she whispered, unfastening them.

He didn't move to help her, knowing that she would see it as aggression if he did. Instead, he watched as she struggled to get them down. It would've been much simpler had the pants not been so tight both above and below the knee. They were practically skinny jeans.

When she got to the injury she froze, looking up at him.

"This is going to hurt," he muttered, trying to stretch the material so that he wouldn't have to rip it to get it over the gash without causing her agony.

It didn't matter. They didn't give, and he found himself in the peculiar predicament of having to finish tearing her pants off.

She glared at him at the sound, but it was a token effort...he knew as well as she did that she was in too much pain to be truly angry. That pain had doubled as her fear for Cato had dissipated.

Now that the wound was uncovered, he set about removing the leaves that she had already dressed it with. Between careful fingers and the water, he accomplished this, allowing them both to see the true extent of the damage.

"It's awful..." she whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut. This could be a fatal wound in the Games on the best of days.

Cato just shook his head, digging. He came across a tube of medicine, one that had healed his spear wounds. There wasn't much left. "Okay, this is going to sting. A lot," he warned.

"Okay," she acknowledged, biting her lip.

He squeezed about half of it out into the wound, spreading it with his finger. It wasn't enough, but she would need more later, so he saved the other half.

A sharp stinging sensation ran through her, and she bit down onto her lip hard to keep from making any noise...it wouldn't do to have him making fun of her for that, too.

"Alright. I'm done," he said, wrapping gauze around it several times. A real bandage followed this, and she wondered how many supplies he'd kept apart from the Cornucopia, which she had realized the explosion had been.

She let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes in relief. Cato, the trained Career, hadn't looked at it like it would be fatal, so she wouldn't either.

* * *

That night, Thresh and 5 flashed in the sky. Looking at their faces, Evania realized that she never would have thought them capable of murder. Cato seemed different...but maybe that difference was better. At least he was honest with himself. She'd never believed in killing, but she was technically responsible for the deaths of three Tributes, and directly involved in the killing of two.

The scary part was, it had been simple to kill the girl from 5. Not because she had hunted her down, or because she was direct competition for sponsors, food and victory.

It had been her claim that she'd ended Cato that sealed her fate. Such rage had washed over Evania at those words that she wanted nothing more than to hurt 5 for taking something so precious and unique from the world, from her. A lie they had been, but they still churned around in her mind, along with the mental images that the descriptions of his corpse and death had invoked.

It was terrifying, what she had been able to do for him. It didn't make sense.

* * *

Cato was lost deep in his own thoughts, the words of Thresh replaying over and over in his mind as he tugged the prizes that should have been for both he and Clove from the bag. _"'It doesn't matter which one of you it was! You're all the same.'" _

Were they? Cato liked to think not. He was an elite even amongst the Careers, which was why they had not disputed his role as leader. Not only was he an elite, but he killed for a real reason now.

None of the others had a reason besides victory. In the beginning, he hadn't either.

But now...now, he would kill anyone that stood between his Evania and her certain escape from this arena. And he would do it proudly.

"What's that?" her sleepy, quiet voice broke into his thoughts.

He straightened it out. "Armor." his smirk was gleeful, that of a child on Christmas morning. He had a sneaky suspicion that this had been just what he'd needed to prepare to go after Fire Bitch.

She shook her head. "It looks clear to me."

"It is. But that doesn't make it any less effective. Here." he held out the set that had been meant for Clove.

Evania shook her head. "Clove was stockier than me. It'll be too loose."

He sighed heavily, knowing she was right. "Well forgive me fpor wanting you to have armor, since apparently you get yourself hurt a lot."

She laughed, "You're one to talk, Mr. Tracker Jacker."

He frowned. "I had no control over that!"

"And I didn't have control over 5 stabbing me!"

"Yes you did! You could have overpowered her."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Cato. I could have overpowered her. We were exactly the same size, and I could have overpowered her."

He shook his head, muttering about silly females, turning to pull off his shirt so he could put the armor on under his clothes. But then he thought better of it. He'd prepare for battle in the morning. Right now he was going to enjoy the relative peace he'd found.

* * *

She spent the rest of that night wrapped up in his arms, sleeping easily knowing that he would protect her. She woke up to him watching her, and she leaned in, hugging him. He hugged back, and it took awhile for him to let go. His eyes were much more open than usual, and she found herself wondering what it would be like to wake up to that every morning.

Her fingers traced his necklace, and he eyed her thoughtfully for a moment. "Why were you so upset about losing your necklace?" he asked curiously after a time.

She sucked in a deep breath, preparing to tell him everything. She could no longer lie to this boy. "My father gave it to my mother before he left for a hunt to take out some cattle rustlers. He died only a few days after leaving, taking more shots than Haymitch during Happy Hour. My mother was distraught. I'm told that it was a closed-casket funeral it was so gruesome. I was born not long after his death, and my mother remained alive to take care of me. But she, too, had an untimely death—I was just eight years old. She caught a nasty strain of the flu, wasted away, and died. But before that, she gave that necklace to me. I asked her if she was afraid; it was plain her hours were numbered. But she said, 'No, I am not scared. How could I be anything but excited? I will finally be able to see the love of my life. Death cannot claim me quickly enough.'"

His face lost all readable emotion. "So your mother practically abandoned you?!"

"No," she murmured. "She held out until natural causes intervened. But my mother had always told me that my father had given her that necklace as something of a token, something that plainly marked her as his girl...he was the only one with jewelry like that. It was also to serve as a reminder of his love for her. I think he knew he wasn't coming back before he even left; that was his main reason. I like to think of it as filled with love from both of its previous owners. It was the only thing I had of them."

By the time she finished, Cato looked stricken. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but clamped it shut again with an audible snap of his teeth. He swallowed hard, and it looked like he was going to try again, but she pressed a finger to his lips, shaking her head. "We can worry about that later. Right now I'm hungry."

He nodded reluctantly, and she smiled at him. The look on his face was more of an apology than she'd ever expected to get.

* * *

He couldn't find much in the way of food, and he ground his teeth in frustration. His woman was back there slowly starving and he couldn't do anything about it. He tugged at his hair, wanting an epiphany.

Not getting one, he turned, thinking maybe he should head the opposite direction he had from the cave. Just as he was crossing the mouth, Evania raced out holding a parachute. He hurried to her, opening the container since it was marked with a 2.

A meal was inside, one that Evania didn't recognize all of. It had steak, she noticed, but she couldn't tell what the rest of it was. She was afraid to ask.

There was only enough food to feed one person, but he cut the steak in half. Offering half of it to her, they devoured that portion before moving on to the odd yellow cube-y stuff. She eyed it mistrustfully. "What is it?"

"Potatoes with cheese," he smiled.

"Really?" she asked. Even working near dairy barns, she'd never been able to afford to have some.

He held out a forkful to her. "Try it."

She carefully closed her lips around it, unsure. A wonderful flavor filled her mouth, and she smiled in mid-chew. He smiled back, and before she could swallow he had already reloaded the fork.

She shook her head. "No. Not until you've had some, too."

He rolled his eyes. "Trust me...you need it more than I do." his gaze traveled over her sharpened cheekbones and jagged wrists sadly. He should have kept her better fed than this.

"You weren't teamed up with me the whole time," she reminded him sternly. "That I didn't have enough to eat was my fault."

He shook his head, not saying anything. How she'd known what was on his mind, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. But his fault or not, it made him sad that she was slowly drifting towards nothingness.

* * *

"Cato...what are we going to do about Peeta and Katniss?"she asked carefully, waiting until he was almost done with tending to her wound for the day to bring up the touchy subject.

It didn't seem to anger him as she had feared it would. He just blinked matter-of-factly. "I'm going to kill them both."

"I think you should kill Peeta first..."

Now he stiffened with curiosity. "Why does it matter?"

"He really loves Katniss and if he can die believing that he was saving her it'll put him at peace," she murmured.

"What does it matter to you if Lover Boy dies in peace?" he asked suspiciously.

"I just...I know how I'd want it to be if it was me," she said.

He caught hold of her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Why would it matter to you if someone died after you?"

Sensing the expression on her face, she closed her eyes. He had an unnerving talent for looking her straight in the eye when she was talking about something important and plucking the unspoken truth from her. "If I was in the arena with someone I really loved I couldn't bear to see them die."

Cato snorted, the sound callous and unfeeling as he released her. "There's no way he really loves her. They just did that for the sponsors."

"Of course he does..." she trailed off, opening her eyes in shock.

He scoffed cynically.

"You don't believe in love, do you?" she asked, something creeping up in her voice.

"No. Why would I?"

She shook her head, bolting from the cave. He realized a second later that what he must have heard were tears.


	16. Chapter 16: Hope

Alright, guys. Here's the next chapter. Thank you for all the reviews, favorites and follows. They mean a lot. Thanks especially to ElektraMackenzie and Lily, who have been reviewing faithfully. =]

* * *

She stumbled through the trees, not really seeing where she was going. The only thing she knew was that she was hurt. The pain in her leg paled in comparison to the throbbing, desperate ache in her chest.

She should've known that he wouldn't really care about her. She was nothing to him...the worry in his voice last night had been for show, to keep himself fed and cared for.

Well, it had worked. She'd been fooled. Fooled so completely, in fact, that she'd been plotting ways to quietly disappear so that she wouldn't hinder his victory. She asked for Peeta's death first because she wouldn't want to live one second in a world without Cato, and she had a feeling Peeta was the same way.

Apparently she couldn't afford to think like that...it would be unbearable to die for someone that didn't care about her, let alone love her. But it would be even more unbearable to watch the life slip from his sapphire eyes.

She heard someone breaking through the trees and ducked behind a bush, knowing that no matter who it was she she had to avoid them. Not even an hour earlier she would have relished the sound as being possibly Cato, her ally. Ally no more.

She climbed the nearest tree, trying to get as high up as she could. She made it about 10 feet in the air before she had to stop. Indeed it was him, and he appeared to be tracking her...but then, if he was tracking her, why wasn't he stopping? Her eyes fell to the muddy earth beneath him, seeing that he was following a set of footprints...that weren't hers. They were almost the same size, though, and led towards Thresh's old field.

Cato must have realized this, because a few moments later he came lumbering back towards the trees, mumbling to himself. Finally, he stopped. "Evania!" he called.

_He must really not care about me if he wants to give away that I'm lost or hiding somewhere to the others..._ Deciding this, she kept her mouth shut although it longed to cry out.

"Evania, please! I know you've gotta be around here somewhere...I just don't know where." the admission was a frustrated one, and he raked a hand through his blonde hair. "Come on!"

"No," she muttered to herself. The second the noise left her, she clapped her hand over her mouth, cursing herself mentally. _Maybe he didn't hear...perhaps he...dammit! Why do you have to be so loud? Stupid bitch..._

He cocked his head, knowing that he'd heard _something._ He just didn't know what... "Ev? Is that you?"

She remained silent this time, keeping her eyes trained on him.

"Dammit..." he mumbled to himself, looking down dejectedly. With that, he turned, sitting beneath the tree across from hers. His face was impassive, and he trained his eyes directly upwards. "Alright, Ev. Stay hidden. I know you can hear me. I don't know if you can see me, but I'm not armed. I didn't come here to hurt you, I just want to talk."

_About what?_

"You probably think that there's nothing left to say here...I'm sure there's a lot of people who'd agree with you. But I don't want that." he closed his eyes in frustration, sighing.

_Too fucking bad, Cato. You shouldn't have played on my emotions to get yourself farther in the Games. Even I didn't do that, and I would have benefited more from it. I treated you like a decent human being when no one else did simply because I thought I saw a side of you that no one had before. But you'll get no special treatment from me if it was all an act. Even I am not that desperate for human contact. _

"I never wanted that..."

* * *

She sat in that tree for hours before sunset came, and then the darkness settled over them like a too-thin blanket: there, but inadequate for the mood that Evania was in. The entire time, Cato remained where he was, stationed beneath the tree, and she almost wanted to go down to talk to him. Almost.

But the hurt at her misinterpretation of his actions was still fresh, and she couldn't put herself through anything else like it.

It seemed so stupid to her now, that he might have seen her as anything more than a pawn. That she had even thought to consider it. It was no wonder her sponsor gifts had stopped...they were all going to someone that actually knew love when they saw it.

_Maybe I should kill him. Katniss and Peeta deserve a chance to be happy, and there's no way Cato and I can be. The rule change didn't mean anything to us to begin with, being from different Districts. It definitely doesn't now. _Even as she considered the idea, she flinched from it. She could never kill Cato.

It appeared he had fallen asleep, but then that could have been a trick. She was uncertain until she heard him snore lightly. After rolling her eyes at his apparent comfort in the middle of the arena, she shimmied down the trunk and dropped to the ground with barely a thud. He didn't seem to take notice, so she took a moment to stretch her limbs, which were stiff from being locked into the same position. She wasn't an expert tree climber, so she was certain it had sucked more than it needed to.

Her elbow popped when she straightened it, and his snoring faltered. _Oh shit..._

His eyes opened for just a moment, and then his hand had snaked out and seized her ankle.

* * *

Her first reaction was to scream, but he clamped his hand tightly over her mouth, shaking his head at her. "Shh! Just be quiet! I'm not going to hurt you."

She struggled for a moment, but gave it up as useless. He had her pinned. "What do you want?" she snarled with all the venom she could muster.

"I want to know what the hell is wrong with you, running off like that." he glared at her sternly. "Katniss is bound to be hunting and if she spotted you you'd be a sitting duck."

She gaped up at him, astonished that he hadn't brought up what had driven her from the safety of the cave. "Katniss isn't here. What does it matter to you, anyway?"

He growled, putting more pressure on her as he pinned her, though not his full weight. "I have helped you stay alive for how long now? How many Tributes have I killed to protect _you_?!"

"I don't know," she replied scathingly. "How many Tributes did you kill 'protecting' me?"

"Four," he said coldly.

Her confusion was quick to surface. "Explain that, please."

"The boy from 10. His ally. The girl from 7. Thresh."

"How are the girl from 7 or Thresh my fault?!"

"I killed the girl from 7 because I was pissed enough that I needed blood. Ordinarily, I would have just gone after yours since it was you that made me mad. But to prevent that, I went looking for someone else. She was the first one I found. I killed Thresh because he sent an assassin after you."

For a single second, tiny hope flared in her heart. "I thought you killed Thresh for Clove."

He froze, eyes going wide in horror. "I did."

"Then how is it my fault he's dead?"

His coverup was quick and obvious. "He just really deserved to die, I guess—"

Still, she let him get away with it. "No, Cato. He didn't. Nobody in here did."

He frowned. "What about the girl from 5? She attacked you."

"She was starving and desperate. It wasn't her fault that she was reaped and sent to die a slow death both physically and emotionally."

He scoffed. "How can you afford to be that sympathetic to what people feel when they're trying to kill you?"

"I care about people, Cato. I never used to think of myself as being able to kill, but I am. And I hate it. I can't bear the thought of myself because I'm so fucking gullible—"

Now it was his turn to interrupt. "Gullible? What does killing tributes have to do with being gullible?"

Fury crossed her features, despite the fact that she'd wanted to avoid this topic. "Yes, _gullible._ I so stupidly believed that you were capable of caring about someone besides yourself. Crazy thought, right?" she felt tears prick at her eyes, but she wasn't sure if they were from the anger or the pain.

He stared blankly at her, realization dawning on him. "Ev, you don't think..."

"You don't care what I think because you don't care about me. So don't even act like you do." She buried her hope under piles and piles of anger, using that rage to shield her mind from what her heart really felt.

"You don't understand—"

"What? That you like to play for the sponsors? Maybe I should go find Peeta and have a nice couple of last days. You and Katniss seem to know all about faking romances, you're perfect for each other." Even as she said them, she knew the words were a mistake.

Now rage seethed through him. "You better fucking not. You're _mine. _No one else can have you."

"Cato, you don't own me. You never have. I only put up with your shit because I suppose I really was a silly little girl deep down. 'Love conquers all.' Pfft. Bullshit."

His grip tightened on her arm. "You really thought that?" his eyes were unreadable, searching for something as they held her gaze.

"Yeah. Emphasis on the past tense," she replied bitterly. "Now get up. I need to go tell Peeta my revelation so he doesn't have to go through his own."

"Stop fucking talking about Lover Boy!" Cato ordered harshly, appearing to be nearly shaking with the self-control it took to keep from throttling her.

"Why? It's not like it matters to you."

"If it didn't matter to me I would have drowned you in the stream the first chance I got!" he shouted in exasperation.

Now she froze.

"Honestly, Evania...do you really think that if I didn't care about you I would have put up with all your quirks, all your bitchiness up till now?"

"You said—"

"That I don't believe in love. And I don't. So don't get your hopes up. But just because I don't believe in love doesn't mean that I can't care about anyone."

"Why?"

"I can't believe in something I've never seen," he said simply.

"Really?"

"Nope. I've seen caring, but never real love."

"Your parents, they must have..." she shook her head, unable to register completely what she was hearing. There was perhaps a chance...

"They cared about each other, I suppose. But their union was one of lust, not love. Father never saw a need for such silly emotions."

"I'm so sorry," she murmured, looking up at him. Even her parents, who had been absent most of her life, had seemed more together than Cato's parents sounded.

"Don't be. My time at the academy has made me strong. I know the difference between something useful and something to be avoided." he lowered his face to hers. "I also know when something is to be enjoyed."

* * *

His kiss was tentative, and felt a lot more like that of someone in love than someone lost in lust, whatever he said. His lips gently brushed against hers in a dozen apologies. Some were his to give, but many were because they were victims of circumstance. She considered resisting, but then caved and returned it, being careful not to set him off. The feeling it gave shot straight to her core, then spiraled off in a thousand directions, giving her the sensation of floating.

He let out a quiet groan, nuzzling her throat. She sucked in a deep breath, unsure if stopping him would be worth the effort at this point or not.

"Cato..."

His lips connected with her pale skin, carefully caressing. At her mention of his name, his teeth connected sharply with the same spot, causing her to spasm in lust and at the same time cry out in pain. "Yes?"

"What are you...what are you doing?"

He soothed the spot with a gentle kiss. "What does it look like?"

_Honestly it looks like you're marking me, which is kinda weird. And kinda hot. And...ohh hell. Where are you trying to take this? _He was worrying at it again, and she knew if he kept it up he'd be hard to resist. Knowing that she needed to turn the tables, she leaned forward, planting her own kiss, just underneath his jaw. He hissed in delight, eyes closing. She took that as an invitation to mark him back and did so, her nip making him arch and growl, his arousal quickly growing against her.

She pushed at him, and he backed off, thinking that she was having issues with their contact. In truth, she was.

Now the savage boy from 2 found himself pinned beneath the quiet girl from 10, his hardness now cradled between her legs. Although there were several layer of clothes between them, his eyes blazed. Two large hands clamped onto her hips, guiding them slowly up and down against it. It was clear that he would much rather have done that without pants on, but she enjoyed the moment, knowing that she made him like this.

It was also astounding that he managed to be dominant from beneath her. She'd expected to be in control with the reversal of positions, but there he was, guiding her every action, showing her a ghost of what she'd been missing.

She knew it would be foolish to go beyond this, though, especially considering the revelation she'd just been subject to. So she leaned down, kissing him softly and looking into his eyes. He blinked, reading what she was telling him but not wanting to believe it.

"Cato..."

Hearing the pleading in her tone, he sat up. She went up with him, and he pulled her tightly against his chest. Burying his face into her hair, he murmured, "Just because I don't believe in love doesn't mean I don't care about you."

"Okay," she whispered, unsure of what to say now.

"Now, we're sitting in the middle of the arena, without a single weapon between us. Well, apart from me. But I don't count in this case. We need to get back to the cave."

She nodded her assent, knowing that he was right.

He fluidly stood with her in his arms, and began walking.

"Cato. Cato, I can walk, you know."

"I do know. But when you have control over your own actions you have a funny habit of trying to escape that I don't like," he grumbled playfully.

"I'm not going to try to escape," she soothed, smothering giggles.

"Damn right you're not. I'm not giving you the chance."

"I mean it. Where would I even go?"

"I was wondering the same thing eariler," he muttered. "'If I was a crying girl, where would I go?' I thought to myself."

She playfully smacked his arm. "Shut up."

"What? Don't want to hear the harrowing recount of my search for you?"

"As it would happen...no."

"There I was, sitting in the cave with this really hot chick, then all of a sudden I found myself _alone._"

Evania blushed at his choice of words, but he took no notice.

"I wondered where she could have gone, and I tried following the _really _obvious footprints outside the cave. But they led back to the field this really stupid guy named Thresh had lived, and I knew she wouldn't go there. So I stopped, turned around, and realized that I _had _been following the right trail until quite recently. So I sat and waited ever so patiently—"

"Stop. Stop," she laughed. "I'm gonna have to call BS on that. There was nothing patient about the way you waited."

He pretended to be offended. "How would you know? You were too busy trying to hide up in that ridiculous tree. I could see you the whole time, I hope you know."

"Could you, now? I should've known that the great Cato would have outsmarted me with his hawk-like eyes."

"Yes, you should have," he agreed. "I always catch my prey."

"Pfft. The only reason you got me was my not-as-quiet-as-intended landing."

"I was ready for you," he asserted defensively, tone no longer quite as playful. "I knew you wouldn't come down as long as you thought I was conscious."

"True. I had no desire to face a fully awake Cato."

"I knew you were a smart one."

* * *

Two days passed without incident. It was nice, not having to deal with drama or fear. But not only were they without action for those days, they were without food. Evania had expected that perhaps another sponsor gift would come, but it didn't. She wasn't sure they would get another.

Her stomach rumbled, and he sighed, fingers playing absentmindedly with the bottom of her shirt. Wordlessly, he pulled a granola bar from his pocket and handed it to her.

She looked at him in utter shock. "What the hell is this?!"

"Food," he replied, refusing to meet her eyes.

She wanted to ask where he'd gotten it, but knew that it must've been the Cornucopia. It didn't really matter why it'd taken him so long to choose to share...all that mattered now was that he had. She opened it, and when the scent of it hit her, she groaned in equal parts hunger and disgust...her stomach felt so disused that she wasn't sure it could function anymore. Her eyes met his, and he looked ashamed.

She broke it in half. "Here. You need to eat too."

He took it quietly, turning it between his fingers a few times before looking at her oddly. "Why aren't you eating?"

"I'm...I'm not sure I can," she admitted. "I'm just afraid that I'll finally get real food and not be able to keep it down."

He snarled under his breath, "Fuck these Games."

"If it wasn't for the Games we never would've met..." she murmured, the thought bringing a hint of pain to her voice.

"I don't care. It'd be better to never have known you than to watch you starving to death," he muttered bluntly.

She turned, a few tears pricking her eyes. She wasn't sure if they were there because of his obvious affection for her, or the fact that he would so easily give up on whatever they had for what she saw as so little.

His fingers knit themselves with hers. "Besides, I would've found you anyway...one way or another, you would have been mine."

A gust of cold air blew in, and she twisted against him, seeking his warmth. He offered it without question, taking her closer to him and kissing her hair. She moved the granola bar to her mouth, biting into it carefully. Slowly chewing, she smiled at him. "I can do this."

"I know you can," he whispered back, smiling. "You always could."

Something told her he wasn't talking about eating.


	17. Chapter 17: Protectiveness

Alright, next chapter for today. =] Review for an update.

* * *

Later that night, Cato seemed deep in thought. Evania could only guess at what the true names of the notions dancing behind his eyes were, but she had a hunch that he was trying to think of a way to entertain the Capitol without hurting either of them or risking the revenge of the Gamemakers. He'd put his armor on earlier, not a reassuring sign...she knew it had been the intention of those damned Gamemakers to make the option of going after Katniss all the more enticing.

She felt her stomach growl, and heard the boy next to her sigh. He pulled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her. One hand splayed across her stomach, and she groaned appreciatively as his lips found the side of her neck.

"I'm going hunting," he murmured.

"For Tributes or food?"

"For whatever is stupid enough to blunder into my path," he chuckled.

She turned in his arms, kissing him gently on the lips. "Promise me you'll see me again before you leave the arena?"

He was quiet for a moment, and she knew that her words had likely angered him. This was good; his hatred for her was imperative if she was going to get him out alive. For all her wishing that he would love her and all her hope that he really maybe had, she knew that it was pointless. He would have to loathe her enough to leave her to die for her plan to succeed.

Eventually, he looked down at her. "You know I won't leave without you." the words sounded like those of someone backed into a corner, with their bluff lying bleeding on the floor. He'd said a lot of things, but whether he was able to act them out would be another matter entirely. Having been trained since his earliest days for this moment, he'd have to overpower his very instinct to prevent her death and his victory. "But the nature of the Games is ever-changing. Remember that, and know that while it may prevent me from immediately fulfilling my promise, it won't hinder me forever."

This was logical. "Deal," she mumbled, a tiny hint of sullenness creeping into her tone.

They shared another kiss, during which she allowed herself to relax. It made her realize just how tired she'd become. She sat back against the wall of the cave, as if to keep watch. Her eyes were sliding shut in minutes, though, and so she thought nothing of it when she felt something cool drop down around her neck.

* * *

He knew that he didn't have much time if he was going to get her out. By now, the audience would be itching for action, for a huge, final battle between the pairs of lovers. He bid her goodbye, wishing he could etch her face into his memory perfectly so that he might have it in his final moments...dying would be hard enough as it was. He'd just never expected to come across someone so pure, so selfless in the arena.

He'd never expected that he'd get the chance to find out who she was, either. That first day in the training center, he'd caught her looking at him while he was throwing spears. She'd seemed so scared of him then, he'd brushed her off as nothing more than a coward—although an attractive coward.

Then he'd lost the necklace that had belonged to his father. Running from the fire, he'd been focused on one thing—survival. How he'd even managed to lose the damn thing was still a mystery. But then there she'd been, holding what he'd wanted and not sharing any answers as to how she had it.

He'd really believed that she had stolen it, perhaps while he'd been asleep, although his Career instincts bristled at the thought. But then he'd questioned her, and he'd seen the truth in her eyes. It was why he hadn't killed her...someone was finally honest with him.

All those special little moments converged in his head, and he knew she would have to be the victor. Leaving her in this arena would be like losing the rest of himself.

All of a sudden, a howl met his ears. He froze, listening harder...there were more. Coming from behind. His mind went onto autopilot, and he began running in an instinctive, involuntary jolt.

Faster. Harder. Shit...these things were unnatural. He pushed every ounce of effort he had into the simple action of running. He'd almost reached the edge of the last tiny clearing before the lake when one jumped out in front of him. Grunting from shock, he dodged it, pushing harder for the Cornucopia in the distance. If he could just make that...if he could make it, it would save him. Its sides were probably too slippery for these creatures.

Sweat dripped down his face, ran into his eyes. He dared not expend extra energy to take care of it, though. He needed to push all of it into escape.

Something caught his eye as he ran...damn, it was Lover Boy and Fire Bitch. They'd been close, much closer than he'd thought.

She took aim at him, but he didn't acknowledge her as a real threat because of his armor. It was her style to shoot for the heart, and his was protected. Besides, if these two didn't want to flee from certain death, then that was their issue. It would catch them soon enough.

"Katniss! Run! Hurry!" he heared Lover Boy shout, fear permeating his voice. "Please, Katniss!" The poor guy really must care about her...he could never admit it to Evania now, though. It was almost sad.

They followed him, apparently realizing what he intended. _Perfect. When we get there, I'll kill Lover Boy. With him dead, Fire Bitch will be thrown off...she'll die quickly, and then the mutts can have me. Then Evania can go home. _Sudden fear struck him as he realized that they might have gone after her too. She was an easy target, asleep in the cave. _No...they wouldn't. Even if they did she can climb trees and they can't...I hope. _

He reached the Cornucopia after what seemed forever. Slamming hard into the side, he gasped as the breath left his lungs and he hauled himself up over the cold metal edge. Once he was on the top, he crouched down, watching his prey and trying to steady his ragged, painful breathing.

They had a tougher time getting up than he had, mostly because Lover Boy managed to get a chunk taken out of his leg. He yelled in pain, and Fire Bitch shot at the offending creature, catching it in the throat.

He wished desperately that he could get up and put a stop to all the drama and suspense, but his lungs were almost sore from being so oxygen-deprived as he ran. Listening to the creatures thudding against the sides of the Cornucopia, he wondered again if any had gone after Evania.

"Can they climb it?" he finally shouted, the words choked and painful.

"What?" Fire Bitch asked, looking at him in confusion, almost as if she'd never heard him speak. Then again, perhaps she hadn't. She seemed the type to space out.

"Can they climb it?" he repeated with mild frustration.

She shook her head, and they both turned to watch one slide back down the side. Good. He'd been right. He closed his eyes for a single moment, collecting himself. When he opened them, he would attack.

"Peeta! Kill it, Peeta!"

She sounded scared, and he realized that Lover Boy had been nearly pulled over the edge by a mutt. Had it been he and Evania in their position, he would not have allowed something like that to happen.

When she pulled him up over the side, he was bleeding badly. Evania's request that he kill Lover Boy first came to mind, and he was on his feet before he could change his mind. His arm latched up and around the younger boy's throat, jammed up into his windpipe to keep him from talking. He couldn't have Lover Boy giving some kind of a romantic speech to Fire Bitch when Evania could never have something like that. "Go ahead. But shoot me and we both go over."

It was clear that she didn't know what to do, and that she wasn't about to let her lover die. But he was bleeding badly, and if that didn't take him then suffocation would. It wasn't anything personal, it was simply to get Evania out.

Lover Boy reached with his finger, dragging it along the backside of Cato's hand. _What the hell?_

_Shit._

A second later, a razor sharp arrow pierced his hand, causing him to release his hold on Lover Boy. That would have been salvageable if not for one thing. Apparently Peeta had been saving up a final burst of strength, because when he rammed back into Cato it sent him straight over the edge of the Cornucopia.


	18. Chapter 18: Finally

Alright, guys...here's the next chapter. Enjoy. =] Thanks for all the favorites, follows, and reviews. Extra special thanks to my loyal reviewers...you know who you are, & I've come to look forward to getting your opinions.

* * *

She woke up a few hours later, and was displeased to find that Cato had not yet returned. Blinking in the dim light, she scanned the tree-filled horizon, hoping for a glimpse of him.

Nothing but a tiny glint caught her eye, and she looked down curiously to see a gold chain resting against her chest as the other half encircled her neck. Her stomach fluttered unnervingly and her heart felt like it was in a vice at the thought of him doing this for her. It also filled her with fear, because she remembered that she'd told him what her father had intended the necklace to be for her mother.

She could not bear the thought of him dying.

Realizing this, she stumbled swiftly from the cold ground, gathering things in her pack even though she knew it was useless. The Games were meant to end very soon. _No wonder he left me with this! He...he must have intended to die taking out Katniss and Peeta. That would leave me the victor. _She knew it must be true, because deep down, he could not kill her. Not anymore than she could kill him.

The arena was cold, beginning to frost. Despite her wooziness and consequent vulnerability, she understood that she was making enough noise to draw the attention of every dangerous predator within earshot. It didn't matter anymore.

Going more with her gut than actual evidence, she broke into a run after about 30 minutes of power walking. She couldn't take it anymore. Something was _wrong,_ beyond wrong. The wolves howling eerily in the distance served only to add to the strength of each push her feet gave against the ground as she propelled herself forward.

She was definitely not the fastest tribute, by any means. Cato and Katniss both could have easily outstripped her, and perhaps Peeta too if not for the doozy Cato had done on his leg. But desperation, like the wolves, served her well, numbing her exhaustion, deafening her to the cries of her burning, aching lungs. Her injured leg was easily forgotten.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been running then...an hour or so? How long had Cato been gone? She wasn't sure. She wanted so badly to beat her head with her fists until the elusive answer was captured, but realized that that could wait until she had verified his safety.

He wouldn't like that she'd gone after him. He'd see it as her essentially calling him weak, which wasn't the case at all. She just wanted him safe, and to be able to go home.

She felt herself retching as she drew in a deep breath, and found her face quickly acquainted with the freezing ground. This cleared her head as much as it made it throb, but she was grateful for the rest, despite her urgency.

In a matter of seconds, she knew that she'd never get up again if she didn't do it then. With more pain than ever, she forced herself once again stumbling to her feet, trying to continue at her former pace while at the same time knowing it was impossible. Time blurred, losing its meaning.

The sounds of the excited pack of wolves met her ears more strongly, and her stomach did an unpleasant flip before twisting in on itself.

More time passed, the sound of the awful group growing ever-louder.

There were Katniss and Peeta, holding each other atop the Cornucopia. If they were there, then—

Her heart imploded the moment she saw him.

He was down, under that pack of wicked mutts. They were literally tearing him apart. His face, hands and feet were all nothing more than bloody messes. But their teeth could not seem to pierce the high-tech bodysuit of armor that he retrieved after killing Thresh. So they had no access to his stomach or to the vulnerable veins in his neck. Somehow, this made her happy, despite knowing how sick it was to think that, especially given the pain he was in.

But he was alive.

* * *

It was agony. Pure. Agony.

Cato hadn't known such pain in all his life, such helplessness. In the academy, it was taught that to be helpless was to be vanquished. His fear level was high, just knowing that he had actually been overpowered. For so long he'd been the biggest, the strongest, the meanest. He'd tried to fight them off as well as he could, but there were just so many of them, and they were so quick, so hungry for flesh that it had made little difference.

He'd lost his short sword some time ago, when two of them had jumped on him at once, so he had no defense aside from his fists and feet, which they made quick work of once he tried using them. The eyes of the mutts were eerily like those of the Tributes he had killed, and he became certain that they must be when the biggest, a male with deep chocolatey eyes parted the group with a look of purpose on its face. Shit. Thresh.

The giant wolf bared its razor sharp teeth, digging its claws into the ground beneath it. It raised a paw up to Cato's face, which had been nearly unscathed thus far. Then it lowered it deliberately, cutting deeply into the boy from 2's face.

He screamed. He couldn't help it. This was unbearable. If only he'd stayed in the cave, then—

_No. If I had stayed in that cave they would have just gone there, and then Evania would have been placed in jeopardy. _

The mutt leaned in, sinking its teeth into the flesh it had just shredded with a satisfied growl. This time, Cato held his tongue. He would _not_ give the creature the pleasure of hearing him scream again.

Lover Boy and Fire Bitch were huddled up on the Cornucopia, not about to help him. Why should they? He wouldn't offer assistance if their positions were reversed. In fact, he'd spend his time sitting there, ensuring that they never made it to safety.

A loud, horrible wail broke from the edge of the trees, and the mutts backed off. He leaned up to try to see what the hell was going on, feeling warm blood course down where his face had been.

_Oh God. She's here. She's found me...shit. Shit. Shit. Lover Boy might not hurt her, but Fire Bitch definitely will. Dammit, Evania. Why couldn't you stay somewhere you'd be safe?_

Even through the pain, Cato managed to complain and worry in his mind. Fear rose up in his gut. After all he'd done to protect her, to get her this close to getting out, he wasn't going to watch her lose her chance.

* * *

Barely.

A loud, unearthly wail of grief and disbelief rose from her throat, and everything in the vicinity froze—including the wolves. They gazed at her expectantly, muzzles dripping horribly with blood and chunks of flesh. After a moment, she managed real words. "CATO!"

Regardless of pack's menacing appearance, she felt no fear of them as she finally reached Cato's side, collapsing hard onto weak knees. Her vision was blurred with tears, her breath coming in pained gasps. But at this point she wasn't sure if it was because of the running or finding him like this.

His ravaged sapphire eyes found her, amid the raw ruins of his face, and she saw guilty relief mixed with intense sadness.

Words, any words, tried to form in her throat, but died on her tongue in a helpless moan of agony. Her lips met what were left of his, and she knew it was hurting him but she couldn't stop herself. She tasted his tangy blood on her lips when she pulled back, and she wondered what it must look like to him, staining her face.

He made an odd noise, and judging by the pitch and tone, he was trying for, "Evania." Then he let loose three more words, better enunciated, the ones she'd been craving intensely for so long. "I...love you."

A giant sunburst of sadness and pure, orgasmic ecstasy washed over her at the notion. He was dying, that much was clear...it killed her inside to admit it. And he had admitted that he loved her...he'd said he didn't believe in love. She didn't know which had been an act, but then again he could have just changed his mind...he _was_ dying. He couldn't gain much from lying now. In this moment, she didn't care.

How deeply must he love her to admit something so drastic, so unexpected of a Career? "I love you too, Cato. So, so much."

His eyes blazed in triumph, and had his face been entirely intact she was certain he would have been smirking.

Even bloodied and dying, he still managed to drive her nuts. Her lips crashed against him, and she was seizing whatever part of him she could get hold of in fisted hands, trying to do anything, anything at all to get as close to him as possible. She wanted to feel his warmth against her, to know that he would never let anything hurt her, to just—

He groaned unintelligibly, though the sound was filled distinctly with relief, and despite the Herculean effort it must have cost him, his arms came up to wrap around her. Blood soaked through her shirt onto her back, dripping steadily from his hands.

They'd just settled against each other, lips once again locked, when the distinctive sound of a bow firing was heard. Evania vaguely noted her face being pushed harder against Cato's, and then...then, there was nothing except spiraling darkness.

She'd had it all wrong. They weren't Chaos and Echo at all. They were the feral, beautiful wolves that no one had understood or spared a tear for.

* * *

There. He'd said it. He'd admitted he loved her. _What will she say now? Can she really love me back, knowing what I am?_

She did, and it was like a thousand fireworks went off in his chest, illuminating his soul with happiness. She kissed him, and it was magical. It didn't matter than he was a bloodied, dying mess that wouldn't last much longer. Nor did it matter that they were fighting a losing battle and could never be together. She tasted so good, even though the flavor was tainted by the blood running onto his mouth.

He put his arms around her protectively, wanting nothing more than to disappear into the trees and have this moment with her. He didn't want to worry about everyone watching, or the mutts circling a few yards away.

It didn't make sense to him that they wouldn't be attacking her, but whatever the reason for their respite, he was thankful. More thankful than he'd ever been. _I think I love her more than I even told her. I—_an odd sound interrupted his train of thoughts.

His thoughts stopped completely as he realized the sound he'd just heard was Fire Bitch's bow.

He saw the arrow, knew it was coming for them but could do nothing to stop it. He tried to roll them out of the way, do anything to keep harm from finding her, but he'd lost so much blood...

And then, the arrow was piercing the back of her neck, just even with the brain stem. She didn't even flinch. Her smile never faltered. It just went through her, and he had just enough time to see the light in her eyes going out before it exited the other side with a rush of blood, and then he tipped his head up, allowing it to go into the underside of his chin. He couldn't live in a world without her.

And he didn't.

* * *

Well, there you have it, guys. The ending of Ashes. Rather sad, to be completely honest. For awhile that was exactly where I wanted to leave it, and I still can...but I think it's only fair to give you guys the option to talk me into somehow bringing them back and continuing it in a sequel (or just adding on to this story? I'm not sure which would be better) because I've been really flirting with the idea. I just need a nudge in that direction if that's where you want me. Thank you to everyone that favorited, followed, reviewed, and read. Those of you that allowed my story into your hearts are the reason I keep posting. Please review the story as a whole...let me know what you really thought of it. In case any of you were wondering, I got the title 'Ashes' from a Five Finger Death Punch song...the lyrics reminded me a lot of Cato.


	19. Chapter 19: Awakening

Alright, guys...here we go. You've swayed me. =] I've decided I'll just keep posting on this story for simplicity's sake. Keep up the reviews. Thank you for all the previous positive feedback.

* * *

It was very sterile.

That was the first thing she noticed. There was an odd beeping, like monitors...it smelled harsh, like bleach. She opened her eyes the rest of the way, coming face-to-face with a man in a white lab coat. _The hell?_

"Here, Mrs. Ludwig."

There was someone else, standing in the shadows...it was barely possible to make out their outline. She craned her neck to try to see her, but found herself stopped short by all the sensors and machines she was hooked to.

"W-where am I?" she cursed herself silently for the hoarseness in her tone.

The man bent closer, looking into her eyes with a flashlight. "Recovery."

"Recovery?!" She'd been certain she was dead...

He nodded impatiently. "Quiet. Upsetting yourself isn't what you need right now."

_I'm pretty sure the most upsetting thing about my current condition is the fact that I am unable to confront you about your inability to answer questions thoroughly. _She griped to herself. "What are all these tubes for?"

He glared. "Don't upset yourself."

Sudden fear rushed into her stomach as she remembered why she'd died in the first place. She didn't know how in the hell she was here, talking, breathing. But there was something more important to worry about. "Where is Cato?"

"He's fine. Now—"

"Where?! I WANT TO SEE HIM!" Her voice rose up into a shriek. This guy wasn't being completely honest, that much she could tell. Therefore, his words meant nothing to her.

"Oh, shut up!" he finally snapped. It was apparent that he wasn't there just to take care of her...he was probably being paid very well.

"CATO! CATO! HELP!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, knowing that if the boy from 2 could hear, he would come. No matter what.

The doctor clamped his hand down hard over her mouth, trying to smother the words. She bit his hand and he swore.

She ignored him. "CATO, PLEASE!"

A nurse rushed to their sides, a syringe readied in her hand. It slid into Evania's arm, and she knew enough to realize it must be a sedative. _Fuck_.

Her eyes slid slowly shut, and she knew no more.

* * *

"CATO!" the scream echoed down the hallway, and found itself traveling into the ears of a certain boy. His muscles tensed in fear at the tone, and he nearly bolted upright. The only thing that stopped him was the set of straps holding him to the bed.

_What the fuck? Am I in a mental hospital? Why am I here, I..._he remembered like it'd just happened admitting everything to Evania, and then she'd died. He'd died. _So why is her voice screaming from down the hall? How am I alive? I let that arrow carve straight into my throat..._

Dammit. He strained against the straps, gritting his teeth and snarling. "EVANIA!"

Now a doctor rushed in towards him, a syringe in hand. Cato knew what it was, but he fought it anyway, kicking and thrashing around. The straps held him firmly though, so he was still subject to the stinging drugs. "Fuck...she needs me!"

He'd always hated doctors.

* * *

"Cato. Cato, honey." he reawakened to the soft cooing of a woman's voice. His...mother's voice?

He made an unintelligible grunting noise and kept his eyes shut despite his curiosity.

"Look at me, sweetheart."

He growled. "Why?"

"Because I've missed you."

At that he did open his eyes, regarding her mistrustfully. "How am I alive?"

"Well, honey..." she trailed off helplessly.

"What?" he barked, glaring at her.

"Don't worry about it," she decided, not blinking and her gaze beginning to lose some of its friendliness.

"Where is Evania?"

"She's alright..." she replied noncommittally. She brown hair, darker than Cato's, but there was a slight resemblance in their faces. But standing next to his father, he looked like a flashback.

He lost his nonexistent patience. "WHERE?"

"Cato, you're in no shape to go looking for her!" she scolded sternly.

"I won't have to look if you just tell me."

She contemplated denying him, but something in his voice must have broken her. "This way."

* * *

He was unstrapped, and led through a complete maze of tunnels until finally arriving at the one that promised Evania. Silent mantras ran through his head, hoping fervently for her safety, her happiness, and her sanity. He could barely breathe with the fear that this was all a torturous nightmare, crafted by personally attentive demons that had intercepted him on his way into Hell.

The door slid open slowly, and he pushed rudely in front of the small group that had traveled with him. There she was...not strapped down, but apparently unconscious. "How in the fuck did you guys get her here? How is she breathing? I watched the light in her eyes go _out._" his voice cracked in pain.

"Don't worry about that, Mr. Ludwig. All that you need to concern yourself with is the fact that she's here now."

Cato growled, stepping towards the doctor. "By the way, if I ever have to hear her scream like that again and am not given the option to go to her, I will shatter your rib cage and make sure every shard of bone enters an organ."

The doctor, for all his coldness and detachment, did look slightly worried.

"Hey Ev...Evania, wake up," Cato murmured, smoothing the hair back from her face, much more gently than he had the last time he'd done it.

She let out a quiet groan of pain, and turned into his hand. "C-cato?" Joy bloomed in him as her eyes slowly opened, finding his. "Cato!"

Without a single thought given to the monitors or tubes, he pulled her into his arms, burying his face into her hair. "Oh, God. I don't even know, I-I don't even care. I'm so glad you're here."

"Don't know what?" she whispered quietly.

"How."

"I don't either. I remember dying..."

A snarl broke from him. "I can't believe I allowed that to happen. Never again, never _fucking_ again."

"It wasn't your fault, Cato."

He just growled louder, pulling her to him almost painfully. She kissed his throat gently, causing a smirk to come to his face.

* * *

His face. She'd seen it destroyed...parts of it had been in the bellies of the mutts. But he looked fine, now. There weren't even scars.

"Cato...Cato, I—" she started before stopping. He'd only said that he loved her when he was dying. What if he'd changed his mind since he'd been given a second chance? She decided that if the words were going to be said, he would have to bring them up. She loved him more than anything, but she couldn't allow herself to admit it without some kind of a safety net. Not yet, anyway.

"Hmm?"

Though it killed her, she changed her words. "I thought we were dead."

"We were," he growled, scowling at the doctor. He'd get to the bottom of this...that doctor would talk.

"Then how..." she trailed off as she realized his necklace was gone. "Cato, it's gone!"

He pulled back, trying to see what she could possibly mean. His eyes found her searching for that necklace...

"Who took it?"

"Cato, calm down." his mother, standing almost forgotten in the corner, moved forward. She pulled it from her purse, and his eyes narrowed at her.

"Why did _you_ have it?"

She frowned. "Stop trying to act like your father. It's unbecoming."

Cato didn't comment, which was surprising. He just stared expectantly at her. She finally relinquished it, handing it directly to him rather than draping it around Evania's neck as it had been. He took note of this, giving it back to her himself.

Evania, trying to make a good impression on the man she loved's mother even in a hospital gown, held her hand out. "Hello. You must be Cato's mother."

"Yes," the woman replied, not taking her hand. "I am his mother."

Cato reached out, lacing his fingers with Evania's. "Mother..." he warned.

She blinked at him. "What?"

He gave her a pointed look.

"Well I was afraid if I reached for her I'd lose my hand," she said defensively, but with a touch of humor.

He didn't laugh.

* * *

Later that day, they removed Evania's monitors, but the pair were still not released. Cato spent a lot of the time she slept standing in front of a mirror, searching for any sign that the Hunger Games had ever happened. There were no scars, nothing to indicate that he'd lost his face or been mauled by savage mutts.

It was driving him mad. How could they have been brought back like that? He knew that once the final light went out in someone's eyes, that was it. They were dead.

If this had happened to them, perhaps it had happened to Clove...

No. He couldn't allow himself to think like that. It would make him question everything he'd ever believed.

Ultimately finding no evidence on himself, he searched Evania. Originally he instructed her to strip down for it, which she had vehemently refused. "Why would I do that? You know none of the injuries I sustained were hidden by clothing."

"I'm just trying to be thorough," he retorted defensively.

"What exactly do you think you're going to find?"

"Proof." he remembered she'd been cut on the neck by that boy with the scythe. There was nothing. She'd also been shot in the back of the neck. Nothing. He was about to give up when he remembered her arm, and seized it. That had probably been the deepest cut, and he snatched it for closer examination.

Bingo.

There, pale and almost indiscernible unless one knew where to look, was a faint scar. He didn't known whether to smile in triumph or feel sick.

Somehow, they had been resurrected. He didn't know how or why, but he had a sneaky suspicion that it had to do with his mother.


	20. Chapter 20: Reason to Worry

Alright...here's a little bit to keep you guys from thinking I forgot you. =] Review for more.

* * *

"Cato. Cato..." his mother was trying to reason with him. It had been more than a week since he'd woken up. More than a week, and he'd yet to see sunlight. It was making him almost as crazy as not knowing if the Hunger Games had really happened had.

"What?" he was trying to be patient, hoping that it would earn him more information.

"You know that the rest of the world believes you to be dead, right?" she finally touched upon the subject she'd been avoiding since he woke up.

"Well that makes sense considering I still don't know how I'm not," he growled.

"You can't just go back out among them. It would cause an uproar from both sides."

The wording piqued his interest; he might get somewhere now. "What sides?"

"The one that wanted you to die and the one that wanted you to live."

Well that didn't help as much as he'd hoped. "Why am I alive, mother? Tell me that or so help me I will escape from this place, take Evania, and plow her in the middle of a Capitol street." he smiled as she flinched...she had to know that it was a valid threat, coming from him. She just thought that he would cause an uproar.

He could see her deflating as she admitted it to him. "Because the resistance wanted you to be."

Those words, out of his mother—the biggest supporter of his father, a lover of the Capitol—they didn't make sense. "What resistance?"

"The one that's been working to take down the Capitol for years now, to stop the Hunger Games."

His mind was blown. "How have they not been discovered and snuffed out?"

"They are very popular with the people...no one wants to see their child die for someone else's entertainment. The notion can sway even the most steadfast supporter of the Capitol. I loved your father very much, but I think even he would have questioned his loyalty after seeing what they put you through."

Rage bubbled in him. "What _they_ put methrough? You never cared much about what happened to me before."

She frowned. "You know that's not true."

"How could I believe that? You sat and watched me grow up under a dozen iron fists, didn't you? You sat and watched me go through the academy. You did nothing as they prepared me to volunteer."

"I couldn't! If I had then there would have been outrage. Your father's life would have been undone."

"I don't know if you noticed, mother, but he's _dead._ So don't worry about his life anymore. It's _over._" Though the words were true it was obvious that they hurt her. He wanted to hurt her right now. "And who are you to say that you loved him? How can you love someone that doesn't love you back?"

Tears formed in her eyes, but she had been able to live with Cato's father because she was one that got mean when she got hurt. "I don't know, how do you do that? You're doing it now!"

His eyes darkened. "Don't you fucking say that."

"I'm only telling the truth. That bitch doesn't love you. She used you to get through the Games. Why else would she have left you there, dying? If she really cared about you, why would she not have tried to stop the mutts? Why would she have let you go hunting alone, knowing how dangerous it was? Why would she have only admitted to—"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Cato bellowed, seething. "You know that I am far too smart to be played like that. She didn't leave me. She went looking for me. You just don't know what love is."

Then she drove the knife home. "Why did she want you to cut so much slack for Peeta?"

That stopped him for a moment before he replied, though the reply was mainly to save face. "Because she cares about people in general. I think she related to him."

"Keep telling yourself that."


	21. Chapter 21: Wake Up Call

Sorry it's been so long...life came up and I went through hell the past month. But without further ado, here is the next chapter. =] Don't hate me too much...this has to happen for a reason. But I promise I've got grand plans. Review for more. Thank you for all your support so far...it's what's made me keep believing in this story.

* * *

"Would you just shut up?" he finally asked her irritably, glaring at her.

She blinked, irritation rising also. "You wanted to know!"

"I wanted to know how your day went, not a steady play-by-play on how much your life sucks!"

"If you don't really want to know then I won't tell you!" she growled. "I'll remember this."

"Good."

He'd been like that all week...distant, moody, and ready to snap at her over the most trivial of things. It was driving her mad.

He wasn't as quick to pull her aside and kiss her, either. At night sometimes he didn't even show up to hold her. Not that it was really his obligation, it was just a sad contrast to the way he'd been in the Games. There, any chance he had to be physical with her, he took like a gasp of air to a drowning man. Now she was lucky to be able to pretend vaguely that he wanted her.

_I wonder what's changed...not me, certainly. I'm just as receptive to him now as I was when I admitted I loved him. I haven't hardened to him, I haven't shut him out. No one has tried coming between us that I know of. I haven't hurt him or betrayed him. So why is he doing it?_

It was like he read her mind, and he snapped, "What?"

She sighed unhappily. "I don't know, I just..."

"Oh, I think you do."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you can't deny it anymore! The whole time you've been with me you were wishing it was Lover Boy!"

Her jaw dropped in shock at even the thought before fury rose, coloring her face red with rage. _"Peeta?"_ the question was sardonic, as if to say, "Are you really _serious? _Did you really just say _that_?"

He nodded once, just as angry. So angry that he didn't even want to yell...not a good sign.

"Why in the hell would I wish it was him? What even gave you the indication I gave a fuck about him at all?"

"Don't think I haven't noticed you, always talking about him. _Protecting_ him."

Even deeper confusion swamped her. "How did I protect him? I told you to kill him!"

"You wanted me to be humane about it, though. You wanted all these special little loopholes for dearest Peeta. And silly me, I noticed it, but I didn't get suspicious until you told me to kill him first. You never cared about me! All you wanted was an ally that could help you get him out!"

"Cato, are you serious?"

"As death."

Ice hit her like an anvil to the chest. "If you really thought I cared about him, why would you still protect me? Why would you tell me you loved me if I loved someone else?" the words were rhetorical, not meant to be answered with anything but his potential realization that he was being ridiculous.

Still, his next words were like a fire under the ice, melting both it and her mind away into an indistinguishable nothingness. "Because I lied."

"...what?" she whispered meekly, blinking back impending tears. _Surely I misheard that. Surely I'm dreaming. Surely it's not true..._

"You heard me."

Twin rivers spilled uncontrollably down her cheeks. "Why would you do something like that?"

"It served a purpose at the time," he replied nonchalantly.

"Cato...no. Please don't really have said that!" her words were directed skyward, like a plea to God. "Please..."

"Why does it even matter, little liar?" he sneered hatefully.

"Cato! You know that I love you! I've only ever loved you...I wanted to save the other Tributes from additional pain, but I would have killed any of them—all of them—to get you out. I would have killed myself a dozen times." she reached for him desperately, knowing that if she failed now she could lose him forever.

But he turned, and took a few steps back before calling over his shoulder. "I'm really not sure why they even saved you. My mother got me out...guess she bought it too."

Her heart shattered.

* * *

She barely made it to her bed before the gasping, breathless sobs broke loose. "Cato...Cato..." his name formed a dozen tiny, broken whispers. It felt like she couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't—

She couldn't live without him. Not after everything that they'd been through. The Hunger Games.

How could he even ask her to try?

* * *

She didn't know how much later it was when she reemerged, eyes puffy from crying and nose stopped up completely. Upon seeing her, a nurse informed her that they were being moved to another floor...they were like the apartments that they'd stayed in before the Hunger Games

But they also meant little supervision, so she was for it. She didn't see much of Cato, or anyone else, there.

That was just as well.

* * *

_Two months later..._

In her untidy scrawl, words formed on a paper.

She folded the paper carefully, slipping it into an envelope. She didn't bother to seal it.

Down the hallway she crept, towards _his_ room. Her heart was racing with anticipation...she didn't bother to knock. Inside she stepped, until she heard a rhythmic thumping. Almost like...

"Oh fuck! FuckfuckfuckFUCK! YES! CATO!" a breathless, high-pitched female voice cried out in ecstasy, interrupting her thoughts.

Bile crawled up into Evania's throat as her hunch was confirmed. Turning, she threw the note to the ground with the piles of his clothes and bolted like a startled animal.

* * *

Standing in her bathroom, she regarded her reflection. It was pale, thin, and just looked defeated. No wonder Cato had gotten rid of her and sought the arms of another.

Oh well. She wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

In the cabinet behind her, there was a bottle of pills. They were powerful sedatives that the doctor had given her in case of a panic attack...two or three too close together could kill.

She took six.

All in a row, like tiny soldiers they took their place and made the journey from her mouth down to her stomach. It only took about five minutes for them to kick in.

When they did, she was sick. It was a violent, angry sickness that contorted her body with the sheer force of its retching.

She saw it splatter on the sink, counter, mirror—everything—but couldn't bring herself to care. The world tipped, and she lost her balance...she heard rather than felt the crushing thud that introduced her to the floor.

* * *

His mind was on a single track. That's what he was trying to convince himself, anyway.

He fucked that nurse so hard he knew she wouldn't be able to walk normally for a few days. In, out, in, out, he pumped his dick so deep into her already-stretched cunt that he swore it had to be as far in as he'd ever been.

She wasn't what he would've chosen, but she was willing. She sucked him off well, and that was a relief in light of the frustration of knowing that Evania hadn't run after him when he'd left. If she really loved him, she would have.

And then she pulled him into the steaming shower, and he punished her for all his pain. She seemed to enjoy it, as she came hard twice, once from just the fucking, and the other time from the way he cursed her as he pushed her away. He could see it in her face that even as he degraded her, she enjoyed him.

He hated that.

She left without saying another word, and he walked back out into his bedroom, stretching. A soft, fluffy towel later and he was dried off from the shower.

Cato grunted in discomfort as something stuck to his foot. He reached down in irritation to wad it up and pitch it when it occurred to him that there shouldn't be any paper in his room. And unnecessary paper only meant an unknown visitor.

_I really ought to see what this is...it might tell me who was here._

His nimble fingers carefully plucked the boring white sheet from the envelope, and he straightened it out with a frown.

_This isn't going to work. I can't live every day knowing that the only thing I believed in was a lie, realizing that all my silly hopes were nothing in the grander scheme of things. I can't continue to wonder how much you really must have hated me, while claiming that you'd do anything for me. How much did it really disgust you when I responded to what I thought were genuine advances? It's tearing me apart. Despite the way you've tossed me aside, I still love you. I dreamed of someday taking your last name and living together. Giving you my innocence and being able to trust that you wouldn't take advantage of it in any sense. Being filled with your children, each in their turn. Raising those children up to be strong like their father. But alas, it's never to be. I know that now. Just remember that you meant more than anyone else in the world...maybe someday you'll realize just how deeply I felt for you. But I won't be there to see it. Maybe this will even make you happy...I won't pretend I really know how to do that, though. Please take care of yourself._

_Love, Evania._

Ice burned in his chest with fear. What if she already did something? How long had the note been there? How—

His thoughts all ran together in a train wreck as he stumbled out the door. He hadn't meant what he said about never loving her...he was just so angry with her for Lover Boy...so jealous.

_Her room...which one was it?_

The question was a stupid one; he knew already without a doubt. He'd watched her for the two months they'd been apart religiously, to see if she'd try to come back to him.

She hadn't, which was a giant wound to both his heart and his ego. But here she was ready to end her life if it couldn't be with him. It was almost too much to hope for that she really cared that deeply, but at the same time he wanted it to be true with all his core. He wanted to have been wrong, for once in his life.

He reached the door, and flung it open with a wall-rattling thud.

She wasn't in her bedroom...and there was no sign anything had happened out there. He tried the bathroom.

_Holy fuck..._ he swore in his mind repeatedly as he took in the scene before him. The vomit plastered onto the mirrors, and the trail trickling down from the corner of her mouth. The smear of blood on the tile beneath her, probably where her head had hit when she had fallen.

Without a second thought, he fell to his knees next to her, pulling her fragile form into his arms. "Ev. Please. Please wake up. Don't leave me. For God's sake, don't leave me here alone. You know that I love you. I can't believe you ever doubted it enough to believe me. I lied, okay? I lied because I thought you wanted Lover Boy more." tears dripped from his eyes. "Ev? Evania!"


End file.
